


Love Letters To A Song

by EspadaIV, JKRobertson



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anonymous Romance, Blatant Fanservice, Blowjobs, Cheating Ex-Boyfriend, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fingerfucking, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Jealous Ex-girlfriend, Jealous ex-Boyfriend, Jealousy, Kissing, Lemon, Love Letters, Masturbation, Meddling, Medium Burn, Mixed Tape AU, Modern Era, Music, Mutual Pining, No Magical Character Jar, Oral Sex, Phone Sex, Poetry, Romance, Semi-Public Sex, Smut, Songs, The Authors Have No Self-Control, The authors are thirsty, Tumblr collaboration, Verbal Abuse, drunken games, playlists, tagged the last pairing begrudingly, the authors regret nothing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2019-06-10 17:52:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 174,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15296847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EspadaIV/pseuds/EspadaIV, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JKRobertson/pseuds/JKRobertson
Summary: When Ulquiorra receives a mysterious letter inside of a book that he frequently borrows from the eccentric local bookshop, he can't help feeling like his privacy has been invaded by this "O". The note offers a song which starts a barrage of letters and a playlist that serves to bring two people together while tearing another two apart. Then there's a shadow lurking in the distance from Ulquiorra's past.Orihime can't believe the gall "U. C." has to insult her, but the person she's exchanging words with provides a distraction from the train wreck her life has become.Is it possible to fall in love with someone through letters and songs?





	1. The Fall Of The House Of Usher

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. We do not own Bleach nor the characters used. They belong to their respective owners. Please feel free to comment or leave a review. We reply to comments! Kudos are awesome too. Thank you for reading!
> 
> So, I love how JKR writes Orihime. The woman brings a life to that girl that I can't hold a candle to. She does her justice. I'm sure you all know that I love writing Ulquiorra so, we divided up the work to bring you this fic. 
> 
> Thanks to Glitterbug for the image!
> 
> Also thank you to our human French dictionary, [LylithB](https://lylithb.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> [ULQUIHIME DISCORD](https://discord.gg/JbdPDcb)

 

He didn't mean to fall in love.

They were words on the page.

A trivial idea.

But it happened.

With the pussycat's heart the bat flew away.

 

***

 

There was an old run down bookshop on one of the side streets that nobody ever really traveled anymore. It was dingy and the windows needed cleaned. It was one of the best places to find great reads and classics. Antiques, first editions, last runs, best-sellers, and out of print books were stacked everywhere from the floor to ceiling on shelves that were dusted lovingly every week.

 

The eccentric shop owner said nothing as he watched the patrons browse the collections. Sometimes, there would be someone who would bring a volume up to the counter and quietly exchange words with the man in the striped hat. Most days there weren’t any customers, so Ulquiorra had to wonder how the man made money when he didn’t sell the books he housed in the shop.

 

The shop owner had a borrowing system in addition to sales; those who made purchases were mostly collectors or rich people trying for bragging rights about how they managed to get a hold of a mysterious but coveted item. All Ulquiorra wanted was to read one of his favorite books. He wanted to be at home curled up in his favorite chair covered in a cozy blanket. It was autumn; the trees were becoming bare. The temperature would drop, and scarves would be in fashion; bundling up would be a necessity.

 

As the dark-haired, green-eyed man browsed the shelves inside the shop, he sighed. The book wasn’t there. No one ever checked out the anthology of Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry, so why was it not on the shelves?

 

Irritation flashed through his brain as he walked up to the counter. “Did someone check out The Poe Anthology?”

 

“Ah Cifer, good to see you. I’m afraid that someone did borrow that today. My apologies, you’ve not set eyes on it for weeks. I thought it’d be safe. However...” the blond man said, trailing off. A fan flicked into view and hid the man’s face. “I do have something that might tide you over.”

 

Tide him over? A straight eyebrow raised as he processed this information. What poet from that time could satisfy his want for the more macabre literary pursuits. ”I may be interested,” Ulquiorra stated quietly.

 

The shopkeeper lowered the fan and smiled. He reached under the counter and retrieved a well-worn book. It might have even been well loved, but Ulquiorra studied the tired spine with a touch of distaste. “Who do you lend this out to? Elementary children? There’s paper sticking out of it.”

 

“The client who requests this book is fond of it,” Urahara said. “She asked me to keep her bookmark in place. I think you’d enjoy it.”

 

The tome was placed on the smooth wood countertop which had seen many years of customers that Kisuke Urahara came to know personally. “You can borrow this or wait until she returns the Poe. I do have some Emily Dickinson. Her poetry is quite--”

 

“Her poetry is hormonal trash and makes me want to throw myself in front of a car or off a bridge,” Ulquiorra commented while still eyeing the book. “Edward Lear. I do not know much about him.”

 

“I’ve never heard someone describe Dickinson that way, but I can’t say you’re wrong. What can one say about Mr. Lear? You’re in for a treat, or you can have patience.”

 

While Ulquiorra was patient, he wanted to be at home where he would be warm and cozy. He did not feel like participating with the public any longer than necessary. “Fine, I’ll take the book. Could you please hold the Poe volume when it gets back?”

 

With a nod, Urahara handed Ulquiorra a form which he filled out with neat print and signed with little flair. “See you in two weeks, Cifer.”

 

***

 

Orihime padded through her small apartment, making sure the coast was clear.  She was in luck; her boyfriend, Ginjo, had left for the day to go drinking with his buddies down at the nearest dive bar. She grinned in anticipation as she found her favorite spot on the plush yellow sofa: the seat in the corner next to the table lamp.  She pulled the soft gray crocheted afghan blanket off of the back of the sofa and cuddled up into it before taking the volume out of her tote bag: _Poe Anthology._   She ran a delicate hand over the well-worn, embossed cover, and opened it close enough to her nose to be able to appreciate its antiquated smell.  

 

It had been a bit of an impulse when she asked the shopkeeper for a recommendation for a spooky story.  Autumn had recently made its presence known, and all around town were depictions of ghosts and black cats, witches, and vampires.  She had been inspired to get into the spirit of the season after watching a Halloween special on television the night before, and could not resist the black-bound title with silver lettering when the mysterious man in the striped hat offered it to her.

 

She opened the book and let the pages fall as they liked, noticing that one particular section of the books’ pages had been handled more frequently than the others; their corners rounded and soft with the wear of many turns.  She interpreted this as a recommendation and thumbed her way to the beginning of the well-loved section. Upon arrival she was greeted with a scratchy black and white illustration of a manor in a desolate landscape, with a horse and rider in the foreground, looking rather cold and miserable.  It was a good start, she thought, to help her get into the mood. She read the title under the illustration, _The Fall of the House of Usher._ It held no significance to her.  She shrugged her shoulders and began to read.  Out loud. Well, loud was a bit of an overstatement as she mainly whispered and mouthed the words using an ominous foreign accent. She didn’t do it as a joke; she did it to help her slip out of her world and into the world of Poe.  However, once she had gotten past the first several sentences, she stopped the verbal narration and read in rapt silence.

 

She paused as she read the passage, “ _The writer spoke of acute bodily illness --of a mental disorder which oppressed him --and of an earnest desire to see me, as his best, and indeed his only personal friend, with a view of attempting, by the cheerfulness of my society, some alleviation of his malady. It was the manner in which all this, and much more, was said --it the apparent heart that went with his request --which allowed me no room for hesitation; and I accordingly obeyed forthwith what I still considered a very singular summons.”_

 

Below this passage was a pale green post-it note, upon which was scribbled in sharp, aggressive script, “What is the heart?”  This question was circled several times, as though this question significantly vexed its writer. To Orihime, however, the answer was plain.  She disregarded the note, carefully peeling it back so she could read the subsequent paragraph.

 

She continued to read; she continued to find little post-its here and there throughout the story; sticking points and plot holes, and critiques of the narrator’s disdain for the succinct, mostly. She stopped to consider each note until she reached the story’s ghastly conclusion, and closed the book, now thoroughly spooked.  However, as she continued with the rest of her evening, the discomforted feeling brought about by the story subsided, and she found herself increasingly disturbed by the note-taker’s first question: “What is the heart?”

 

She couldn’t understand how he or she, although probably he, based on the handwriting, could have missed it?  How could the previous reader of these pages - such as they were; bearing evidence of multiple readings - have overlooked what was possibly the only part of the story that made sense to her?  The narrator’s friend was reaching out, desperate to connect and fortify the bond they had once held in happier times.

 

The next day and the day after left her feeling more and more agitated.  As she read through other stories in the book, she found that she couldn’t focus, wondering more about the previous reader than the book itself.  She decided, on the third day, that there was nothing to do except reach out to the poor, misguided soul who had been leaving these notes. To that end, she took out a small piece of stationary, adorned with images of cute pastel dinosaur royalty, and wrote:

 

> _Dear reader,_
> 
> _I hope this finds you well.  I have enjoyed your comments and critiques as I read this book, but one of them keeps bothering me.  You asked, “What is the heart?” In this story, Mr. Usher felt alone. He wished to connect his heart to someone else’s; to the narrator’s.  He wanted to know what his friend was feeling and have those feelings reflected back to him. I know it’s impossible to feel exactly the same as someone else... but when you both care for each other, your hearts are able to draw a little closer together. I think that's what it means to make your hearts as one._
> 
> _I have a song I like to listen to when I feel isolated.  It’s one of my favorites. It’s called “Answer”, and it’s by Sarah McLachlan.  The lyrics talk about how when people connect their hearts to one another, their bonds can hold them together through times of darkness.  Do you have a song like that? I hope so._
> 
> _I hope this helps,_
> 
> _-O_

 

The next day, Orihime returned to the bookshop and deposited the book on the counter, asking the clerk to please hold it for its previous reader.  She was sure he would come again for it.


	2. The Owl and the Pussycat

This book of poetry could be defined by two words: utter rubbish, Ulquiorra thought as he thumbed through it again. This Edward Lear gentleman was daft and could hardly call himself a poet. Honestly, he should have expected it with the title of the collection, _Nonsense Songs_. How could people think this was classic?

 

It was an absolute nonsensical offense to his brain!

 

This Lear wrote with limericks and rhyming poems. He’d been better off to pick up a collection of haikus. At least that type of poetry had an aesthetic.

 

The problem was, he read the entire book that night. He reread it the next morning. He stewed about it, thinking on what sort of person might want to read something like these words. The person had to be childish, dimwitted, and undoubtedly immature. There was no way any intelligent adult would understand this.

 

He reread it for the third time, and it still did not satisfy his logic-based brain.

 

Lear’s poems didn’t even make sense. They had the musical quality of simple songs taught to toddlers to remember their letters and numbers! There was no complex and vivid mental picture painting. It reminded him of Dr. Seuss, and Ulquiorra could not stand that man’s words.

 

He did not like them, Sam, I am. He did not like this stupid poetry and its absurdity!

 

Several afternoons later, after he was through teaching classes, the pale man navigated the narrow streets to the bookshop, frowning as he passed a woman coming out of the same establishment. It was hard to believe that this place had other patrons.

 

Ulquiorra did not waste time. He strode up to the counter and slapped the book against the bar. “I’m returning this,” he stated to the teenager behind the counter.

 

The clerk nodded and turned towards the extensive (not to mention messy, and complicated) cataloging system there was for books on loan. “Oh, Mister Cifer, the book you wanted--”

 

“The collection of Poe?”

 

“Yes, it’s been returned,” said the clerk.

 

“Give it to me,” Ulquiorra ordered.

 

The entire trip took less than thirty minutes, and he happily had his book in his hands. Ulquiorra would have bought the book, but it was so expensive for a teacher’s salary. He wasn’t frivolous with his funds. He merely thought it would be best to save his money for when he needed it. Like when he needed to go back to Germany or when he wanted to pick up and travel to a different part of the world.

 

He had heard Sweden was lovely. Maybe Iceland would suit his tastes.

 

There was a vibration in his pocket then a chime. He sighed, knowing what those sounds meant. He had a text message and a voicemail. They both would be from the same person because she wanted to know when he’d be back.

 

She was the reason he left Germany in the first place.

 

Ulquiorra was not a native resident of Japan. He was merely a foreigner who was teaching English to those who were born here. He had no idea about the culture or honorifics. He called everyone by their last name. He didn’t know why he was teaching English because it wasn’t his first language. There were times he would botch and bungle words, tripping over a particular definition. Also, it was a dull, dead-end job, where he was merely a human-powered language device, droning the same words and inflections over and over until his students got it right.

 

The only thing that kept him afloat besides pinching pennies were the private lessons that people paid for. There was nothing like spending his free time feeling like an abstract piece of art with the way people stared at him. He was merely here for a job. He also was there to put space between him and Nel, his former girlfriend.

 

Ulquiorra did not like to think of Nel because then he started to feel guilty and emotions would flood his brain. He would buy a bottle of sake and listen to music too loud to combat his noisy neighbors who either liked to sing at the top of their lungs or have shouting matches about absurd subjects. He would do it to counter his noisy mind as well.

 

It was his own fault that they had broken up. He was never emotionally available for Nel to connect with on a personal level. Then this French playboy and his roommate moved in next door to them. The woman’s eyes were continually staring at the men’s weird blue hair and red mohawk. He saw the way Nel would laugh at their jokes. Ulquiorra acknowledged it was only a matter of time before their smooth French accents would lure her into their beds.

 

He knew Nel was conflicted because of loyalty. He knew he could not be what she wanted. It wasn’t for lack of trying, Ulquiorra just didn’t handle his emotions well, so he blocked them all out. He had a decision to make; end things with her or wait for her to leave him after one of the men seduced her.

 

So he let her go. He was the one who sat her down and said it wasn’t working. He was the one who said he needed his freedom to experience the world. He moved out later that night, only packing minimal things and storing the rest at his parent’s house. His new home was the airport until his flight left for Japan.

 

That was six months ago. Upon setting foot in his sparse and tiny apartment. Ulquiorra explored his new city, finding the best places to eat and little out of the way stores to buy items. When he stumbled upon the bookshop, he could have cried tears of gratitude. Space was limited here, so buying a copy of his favorite books was out of the question. Then he moved into a different apartment, one that had more room. He still didn’t replace everything he had left in Germany. It didn’t make sense to do that. The shipping costs would be astronomical when he left this country for the next one.

 

So he continued to borrow books from Urahara’s.

 

He arrived home after a boring trip through the supermarket for food, eager to read through the book again. Ulquiorra made his meal and ate it before he settled himself in his favorite chair with a cup of tea at his elbow. It was chilly in the apartment, so he pulled his favorite blanket over his lap.

 

It would have been the perfect evening. It should have been the ideal evening… had one of his notes not fluttered to his lap when he opened the book. Ulquiorra sighed heavily, carefully picking up the piece of green paper, pinching it in between his thumb and index finger. He stared at his words.

 

_What is a heart?_

 

He remembered the day he wrote those letters to form that question. Living in Japan for only a week, he’d gotten several text messages from Nel asking for him to call or at least reply. Ulquiorra didn’t want to talk. He thought they had discussed enough. There wasn’t really much more to say. He had wished her well, what more did she want?

 

He remembered reading the passage that invoked this question, but he couldn’t place what the heart was on an emotional level. Logically, of course, it was an organ that pumped blood and was vital to living but, emotionally, what was the heart?

 

Pale fingers flipped the pages back to one of his favorite stories, _The Fall of the House of Usher_. He’d read almost everything Edgar Allan Poe had to offer, glancing at _The Raven_ and _he Pit and the Pendulum_. _The Tell-Tale Heart_ was an okay literary pursuit. There was always _The Murders at Rue Morgue_ , _The Cask of Amontillado_ and _The Mask of Red Death_. None of those stories caught his interest like the story of Rodderick Usher. The cadence and rhythm with which Poe told the story of these unfortunate characters were amazing.

 

The creepy backdrop of the house and the desolate feelings of Usher’s plight. Every action to every word was dedicated toward the invocation of dread that left Ulquiorra hanging on the edge of the seat and delivered him to a shattering ending. It could not be avoided.

 

It was bliss in the form of words.

 

His eye twitched as the first page of the story came into view. An offending piece of paper lay, folded in half, wedged between the pages of the book. Ulquiorra picked it up after replacing the sticky note under the paragraph that he found so irritating; opening the foreign piece of trash, his green eyes scanned the contents of the letter.

 

Once again, his face twitched. Someone had read his thoughts and musings about this story. Had they read all the notes throughout the book? Granted, they weren’t as meticulous as for his favorite story, but someone had read them.

 

Rereading the letter, he came to comprehend the written words. Someone had gone through his notes. Who was this O? The pastel dinosaurs seemed to mock him with their crowns and upturned snouts as he read the flowery writing that spilled onto the letter in his hands.

 

Of course, Ulquiorra knew that unless he bought the book, anyone could read his thoughts. Urahara said that there were times that people wrote ideas in the margins of some of the books. He had always meant to copy down musings into a notebook, but they didn’t seem as poignant without the accompanying text.

 

He pulled a sheet of paper from his teaching supplies and grabbed a pen. He was going to give this O person a piece of his mind for invading his privacy, moving his notes around, and offering unsolicited advice.

 

With angry strokes of his pen, he wrote the following words:

 

 

> _O,_
> 
> _I enjoy the “Sound of Silence” by Disturbed. There’s also a version of the song by Simon & Garfunkel. Take your pick. I am quite aware of what I asked. It was merely a rhetorical question. I know what a heart is. Thank you for your concern, and I am not lonely or isolated. I just revel in my solitude. _
> 
> _If I could, I would live in a secluded location, away from the idiots and prying eyes that seem to plague society today. Please refrain from moving my notes around the next time you decide to borrow this book. I would never barge into your home and start moving stuff around and I feel that this is what you’ve done with my post-its._
> 
> _\- U.C._

 

Ulquiorra kept the book for two days, pouring over the words the woman wrote while rereading the stories for what seemed to be the millionth time. He wasn’t wrapped in darkness. He wasn’t isolated. He liked his privacy. He cared for no one at the moment, and he certainly did not need a stranger’s words of unsolicited advice. He also did not care for the person’s music selection, deeming the song as more hormonal trash.

 

Of course, Edward Lear had taken up residence in his brain alongside Poe, and he enjoyed recalling the color of the boat in The Owl and the Pussy-Cat. He rather liked the color green. When Ulquiorra slid the volume of Poe stories across the counter, he paused in front of the blonde man. “Do you have--Is _Nonsense Songs_ available?” he asked, avoiding the shopkeeper’s amused stare.

 

***

 

Two days after returning the book of Poe stories, Orihime returned to the bookshop - to drop off another book she had borrowed but didn’t really care for - and picked up _Nonsense Songs_ again.  She didn’t really want to read it; she just felt happier knowing it was nearby.  That evening, she spent a pleasant hour or two chatting online with her old friends, Tatsuki, who had moved away after high school to compete in karate internationally, and Uryu, who was currently studying fashion abroad after dropping out of medical school.  

 

She had a small glass of wine as they caught up with what was going in each others’ lives and reminisced about days gone by.  Orihime often felt she had little to contribute, being the only one among them to have not left Japan. Also, she no longer lived in Karakura, so she had no access to hometown gossip.  They, however, appreciated her updates about what was new in Japan in general and what she had been up to. She had just told them that their mutual friends Chad and Ichigo had been back to Karakura for Obon two months ago and she had snuck away to meet them.  The three of them went to the river and did fireworks like old times, and Orihime was just about to tell them how mature Ichigo’s sisters had become when Ginjo came home earlier than expected. She quickly ended the conversation and pretended to have fallen asleep on the sofa.

 

After high school ended, her friends started moving away one by one.  Usually, it was expected, but each time the loss was just as severe as the first time.  And the beginning was very bad. Ichigo had been the boy she’d been quietly in love with since she was fourteen, and at eighteen he had a scholarship to a pre-med program in Kyushu and still hadn’t figured out what his dick was for.  He left a month later, leaving their group of friends without their de facto leader and Orihime heartbroken. Next was Ichigo’s best friend, Chad, who found an opportunity to follow Ichigo to Kyushu to work at a boxing gym. Next was her best friend, Tatsuki, pursuing her dream to be a karate champ.  Last, surprisingly, was her friend Uryu, who had had the highest marks in their school, but who inexplicably chose to go to the University of Yamagata for biology with the intention to go on to medical school. As luck would have it, Orihime’s apartment lease was about to expire and having no more connections in Karakura; she left to be closer to her elderly aunt in the same small city in Yamagata prefecture, an aging and often snowy little ‘burb called Yonezawa, where Uryu’s campus was located.  He ended up working part-time at the hobby store Orihime had been hired at, and although his studies kept him busy, he picked up at least two shifts a week most times. Orihime found great comfort in his presence, and they grew very close in the absence of their other friends.

 

It wasn’t until he finished his undergrad that Uryu announced he was not interested in becoming a doctor and left to study fashion design in New York.  She should have known, in hindsight, but she was as shocked as everyone else. The signs were there: being less concerned about maintaining his perfect grades, asking her to study English together constantly, spending more and more time in the fabric department of the store.  And yet, the day he told her he was leaving it felt like she had had the rug pulled out from under her feet and was forced to make a hasty goodbye to the last vestige of her youth.

 

It wasn’t long after Uryu left that she met Ginjo.  Only minutes, in fact. She had been walking from the departure terminal at Narita after seeing Uryu off, down to the train station, and heard a voice say, “Why the sad face, Princess?”

 

She looked up and saw a handsome stranger: tall, muscular, with dark hair and distinctive features.  He smiled at her as tears streaked across her cheeks and she explained she was seeing off a friend.  They got to talking and discovered that they lived in neighboring towns. They sat together and chatted the entire four-hour journey home, and by the time they had arrived they had shared their life stories and Orihime had been convinced that meeting him was fate.  They started dating soon afterward, and everything was great at first. Ginjo was fun and charming. They had physical chemistry. He always made her feel like the prettiest girl in the room. When he was laid off from his construction job over winter, about seven months into their relationship, Orihime didn’t hesitate to invite him to move in with her.

 

At first, living together was amazing; cold nights spent cuddled in bed together, and during the days Orihime would work at the hobby store stocking shelves and teaching art classes.  It wasn’t until the beginning of spring and Ginjo finding a new job that Orihime first noticed his tendency to drink excessively and stay out too late. Soon he was coming home smelling of cheap perfume or with the taste of cigarettes on his lips.  Ginjo did not smoke. When she confronted him about it, he denied everything, insisting he was just out with the boys and one of the snack bar Mamas had gotten overly friendly. They shared a laugh at the image of an elderly woman making a move on a man as young and virile as him.  But then it happened again and again. The questions soon turned into arguments that Ginjo would always manage to twist around and somehow blame her for. He became more and more defensive, and eventually more and more aggressive in his self-defense, to the point that Orihime didn’t always feel safe with him.  He never hit her, but he would get in her face and slam things. She became afraid of raising his ire, and eventually just started ignoring his suspicious behavior.

 

As a means of stopping her before she started, Ginjo had recently begun to display a jealous streak. At first, she was happy about it, thinking he cared about her again enough to stop taking for granted that she would always be there.  It wasn’t long though until it became clear that it was just a game to put Ginjo in a position where he would be able to defend any of his own indiscretions. By using any perceived flirting she did or attention she got, Ginjo was able to turn most of Orihime’s arguments against herself.  She soon found it not worth her time to fight him.

 

She presently heard him struggle to get his shoes off, cursing at nothing and calling for her.  She continued to pretend to be asleep on the couch, already detecting the smell of cheap whiskey and cigarettes on him, and not in the mood to deal with his big lies and bigger attitude.  Unfortunately for her, he came back wanting sex.

 

She felt the sofa cushion next to her sink and a rough nudge to her knee, followed by an indelicate hand trailing up her thigh and a sing-songy voice saying, “Wake Up, Princess, I missed you…”  

 

Orihime rolled over and groaned in irritation, keeping up the sleeping act.  Then she felt his oversized hand between her legs grip her almost painfully. She opened her eyes halfway and said, “I’m not in the mood, Ginjo,  Not tonight,” before closing her eyes again and nudging his hand away.

 

“And you wonder why I am always going down to the bar for attention.  You are such a tease, Hime," he paused, leaning over her and kissing her neck sloppily while bringing his free hand around her front to knead at a breast, then whispering in her ear, “I need you, Princess.  Don’t shut me out.”

 

Orihime knew where this was going.  If she continued to refuse him, he would continue to pester her until he got what he wanted.  She sighed, and in the interest of efficiency, stood up and removed her shirt, taking his hand and pulling him toward the bedroom.

 

They had quick, unsatisfactory sex, wherein she lay passively and he grunted unrhythmically above her, and he passed out immediately thereafter.  She checked the time; less than a half an hour had passed since he came home. She might have a chance to get back online and finish her conversation with Uryu and Tatsuki.

 

To her disappointment, neither of her friends were online anymore.

  
Upset and disillusioned, she settled back into the sofa and fell asleep.

 

The next morning, Orihime wanted until Ginjo left for work to get up.  After eating something and getting dressed, she sat back on the sofa and reopened _Nonsense Songs_.  But for the first time, today it felt like Mr. Lear was mocking her as she read her favorite poem,”The Owl and the Pussycat”.  Usually, she loved the idea of lovers leaving their lives behind and traveling to a foreign land to elope and ‘dance hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,’ under the light of the moon.  If she was honest, it was the only poem she truly loved in _Nonsense Songs_ , although she enjoyed the others for their whimsy and jolly cadence on occasion.  She read ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ over and over that morning, each time feeling angrier than the last.  She decided to give Mr. Lear a piece of her mind. Reminded of the Post-its in _The Poe Anthology_ she decided that similar treatment would do, and took out a yellow pad of the same sticky notes and a pen.  To ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’, she added a verse:

  
_But the very next day, the owl sailed away,_  
_ne’er to be heard from a-gain._  
_And the pussy, that gullible, pushover pussy,_ _  
_ _Cried alone on that hill in the rain._

 

She didn’t get to the other songs or stories.  Her stomach burned with the acid of regret. Tears stung her eyes, and she couldn’t read the words she wrote as her hand acted on its own, scribbling one Post-it after the next, which she affixed to the inside to the bottom of the same page as if it were a confessional.  After she finished she closed the book, put it in her tote bag, and walked it right back to the bookshop.

 

During the chilly walk from her apartment to Urahara Honya, it started to rain,  and she was grateful for the excuse to open her umbrella and hide her face from passersby as the tears she had left behind caught up with her.  Each step she took fell on the 2 and 4 of a beat she couldn’t initially place, and then it came to her. It was a song she had first heard a few years ago that she had been feeling was increasingly relevant to her own life. She wasn’t sure who the artist was or what the song was called, but the words of the chorus had really grabbed her attention.  As she walked to the beat of the song in her mind, she recalled the lyrics and realized that they were the words she had scrawled across the post-its now residing on the last page of _The Owl and the Pussycat_.  The words had read:

 

_I want so badly to believe that there is truth, that love is real._

_And I want life in every word to the extent that it’s absurd._

_I know you're wise beyond your years, but do you ever get the fear_

_That your perfect verse is just a lie, you tell yourself to help you get by._

 

As she continued walking, she realized that the lyrics encapsulated her feelings while reading _The Owl and the Pussycat_ that morning.  Was she clinging to the rhyme because she was hopeless for happiness in her real life?  Was Lear’s perfect verse a lie to help her limp through her own failure in love? She didn’t know, but it put her in a dark place.  She needed to brood. She needed to listen to the song and read something that reflected her melancholy.

 

She stopped, finding shelter under a window awning, and pulled out her phone.  She tapped the lyrics into her browser and found the answer to the questions she hadn’t previously asked:  What was this song and who performed it? Thanks to modern technology she had her answer instantly. The song was _C_ _lark Gable_ by a group called The Postal Service.  She decided to stop by the music store on the way home to see if she could pick up a copy of that album.  Reopening her umbrella, she began to march to the bookshop once more, this time her heart steeled with purpose.

  
Feeling like Poe’s gloomy prose was more in line with her mood, she requested it after slapping _Nonsense Songs_ on the counter as if it had personally offended her.  The shopkeeper said not a word but nodded, his eyes as always obscured by the shadow cast by the brim of his striped hat.  If she had not been so riled up, she would have noticed the trace of a smile on the eccentric man’s face, but she didn’t, instead drumming her fingers on the smooth wooden surface of the counter impatiently.  He passed her the black leather-bound tome, and she took it, merely nodding her thanks before stuffing it into her tote bag and heading back out into the rain.

 

She thought about where to stop on the way home to look for the CD she wanted.  Tsutaya was on the way, and it was probably the most well-stocked music/video store in town, but it was overpriced, and there was a decent chance she would run into someone she knew.  She was not in the mood to talk to anyone. As she walked, she saw a second-hand media store called Book Off across the bridge she traversed currently. It was a block and a half out of her way, and much less likely to have the CD in question, but she decided it was a much more attractive option that Tsutaya, and after crossing the bridge she took a right toward the thrift store.  

 

As the automatic doors opened and members of the staff shrieked the customary “You’re here~!” in their irritating, nasal voices, she was too distracted to notice the dark, bundled-up foreigner making his way toward the exit.  She brought her umbrella down and nearly hit the man in the head with its wet canopy.

 

She heard a faint verbalization and looked up at the man only long enough for her mind to register that he was a foreigner before she apologized and bowed her head, scurrying away.  As she made her way to the international section of the used C.D. racks, she chastised herself for apologizing to the foreigner in Japanese. She had studied English in earnest for a long time, hoping to one day have a practical use for it, and secretly prided herself on her rare fluency for a Japanese learner of English.  Her accent was minimal, and her knowledge of nuance and idiom was quite advanced, so much so that she was able to read Poe and Lear, among others, in their native language without a hitch.

 

It took some time to find her way to the ‘Po-’ section of the album titles, and when she did, she found herself in luck.  There were actually three copies of the album there. She picked each up and turned them over in her hands, inspecting each to determine which was in the best condition.  After making a selection, she took it to the register without browsing around anymore, anxious to get home and begin her brooding session.

 

When she arrived home, she brewed herself some black tea, making it strong, thinking it reflected the color of her soul at the moment.  She would have painted her fingernails black had she had the color at her disposal. All in all, she was just desperate to sink as deeply as she could into the negative emotions she had been denying for so long.

 

Her tea ready, she put on the CD to the selected song, letting the artificially produced whirs and synth organ chords of the song’s instrumental track lull her into a quieter state of mind, before the tinny, boppy backdrop of the verse began along with the vocals.  Then, as the ominous, Joy Division-esque synthesizer took over the chorus, her consciousness felt ready to reopen _The Poe Anthology._

 

Her mood was quickly thwarted by an innocent-looking piece of white printer paper, folded into a sharp crease and tucked safely between the pages at the start of _The Fall of the House of Usher._ She removed the paper and opened it, and as her eyes skimmed its contents, her depressed mood was burned away, replaced by the fire of indignation.

 

It appeared that the previous reader had read her note and willfully misinterpreted her goodwill. He insulted her intelligence, patronized her, tried to make her feel inferior.  Then, _then,_  he had the gall to scold her for moving his notes around?  Who did this writer think he was? He didn’t own the book! He sounded awfully melodramatic to her; a lot like the hormonal, angsty teenagers she was often obliged to teach in her art classes.

 

Her desire to read Poe and mope now greatly diminished, she turned the CD off and let the radio take over.  She smirked as the familiar tune, _Shake it Off,_  played.  “Haters gonna hate, aren’t they Taylor?” she said aloud to herself as she walked to her desk and took out another sheet of royal dinosaur stationery, and began to write with the powers of impatience and self-righteousness in her script:

 

 

> _Dear U.C.,_
> 
> _It is a sincere pleasure to make your acquaintance.  I am quite sorry if you misinterpreted the intention in my previous correspondence.  I made no reference to you yourself being isolated or lonely; merely Mr. Usher and myself.  One wonders whether that is a bit of self-projection on your part._
> 
> _As for your taste in music, I must admit that your selection is quite a masterpiece. However, I question your interpretation.  Paul Simon lamented the lack of connection between people.  He wished to destroy the sound of silence. He called it a cancer and wished to teach people that if they didn’t wake up and realize they were all talking at each other rather than with each other, the distance between their souls would only grow wider.  It seems contrary to your stated wishes to live as an island, then, to enjoy a song such as that._
> 
> _I most certainly have not barged into your home; you do not own this book.  As to your request to leave in place your Post-it notes, I will endeavor to comply, however, I advise that if you wish to have your notes undisturbed, you will take them down in a place not available to the public; you may find a subsequent reader not as respectful as me._
> 
> _Very truly yours,_
> 
> _-O_

 

She could feel her steam running out.  She reread her words, and although she wouldn’t write them again, she did not feel compelled to start over. She wanted to say those things to him.  It didn’t stop her from cringing as she reviewed them again, though. She sighed and added as a postscript:

 

> _P.S.:  If it really bothers you so much to have me read this book, is there another you would recommend?  Thank you in advance. - O_
> 
>  

 

She deposited her letter into the book, dumped her tea in the sink and threw on her jacket, no longer in the mood for Poe, and headed back to return U.C.’s precious volume to the bookshop.


	3. Silver Screen Romances

If his brain was intelligent enough, Ulquiorra deduced that the same person who wrote the note stuck inside the Poe anthology had also written the new notes affixed to the pages of _Nonsense Songs_. The cheery yellow paper seemed to mock him as he frowned at the story he had opened.

Ulquiorra did not know why he asked for this book. Even after Urahara told him it was out, the dark-haired man asked the shopkeeper to hold it for him. He’d received a call stating that the book had been returned and was available several days later. It was apparent it was the same book, but at the same time, it had changed. What had happened to cause these little thoughts to appear?

The sloppy, looping writing on the pages was the same script on the note. Not that he kept the note or studied it. He wasn’t that type of guy; Ulquiorra didn’t obsess over subjects. He just meticulously studied things until he was knowledgeable. He meant to go over the Lear poems again and decipher their meaning if there were even one behind them.

Those yellow notes stopped him.

At the very last verse, the passage that had been added tugged at his ordinarily dormant emotional strings. They were merely words, how could they affect him like this? Ulquiorra shook his head; this was none of his business. It just wasn’t. He didn’t care about this “O” nor his or her situation.

He went about his day, teaching and tutoring, the thoughts of that added prose muddling about his mind. It was ridiculous that some words from an anonymous hand could rile him up. It didn’t matter. Whoever this “O” person was could make their assumptions about him.

He knew who he was. Ulquiorra was a man of few words and even fewer emotions. He took the world by a grain of salt. He didn’t believe what he couldn’t see. Feelings were just chemical reactions made by cues in his brain. Knowing this, he employed no tact and declined to use a filter. He even knew that he was an asshole eighty percent of the time.

Most of the time he didn’t find anyone interesting enough to engage in the societal norms of behavior, he knew at times that he appeared stuck up. This did not bother him in the slightest. The world was a daunting place for someone who was weak-willed.

What had O meant by that added verse?

He had looked up the other words left on the post-its and found them to be lyrics from a song. Going to the local second-hand media store to snag the CD was easy. There were two copies, and he didn’t use much of his funds to purchase it. If it turned out the CD was unsatisfactory, Ulquiorra would just exchange the disc for something he actually liked.

Still those lyrics bugged him, even as he was laying in bed, listening to the sounds of the building. His neighbors were rather vocal about their carnal activities. The grunts and groans were loud, but he never heard the woman. Maybe two men lived next door, Ulquiorra wasn’t sure.

No, he was sure it was a man and a woman who lived next door. He’d seen the man once. The man’s slicked back hair appeared greasy, and the guy looked shady like he was part of the local Yakuza or some other gang. Ulquiorra didn’t like the neighbor but was polite enough when he came across him. On the other hand, he’d never seen the female, but he had heard her through the thin walls. She complained several times about the man being too heavy or that she was being crowded.

Then there were the fights he heard complete with shouting and loud thuds of things being thrown or shoved against the wall. Ulquiorra told himself that it wasn’t his business to get involved. It didn’t concern him.

With a sigh of disgust, more at himself than his neighbors, Ulquiorra dragged himself out of bed and to his desk. The song “Hey You” By Pink Floyd going through his head as he padded across his apartment.

_Hey you, with your ear against the wall_

_Waiting for someone to call out_

_Would you touch me?_

He didn’t need anyone. Love was stupid and pointless; so much that he was going to make a point to this person who disturbed his thoughts.

A pristine piece of white paper was quickly filled with his handwriting. He wasn’t angry or indignant this time as he wrote, so his script wasn’t as severe. He had to get his thoughts out or else he’d be mulling over them for the rest of the night. Insomnia did not bode well for being efficient.

> O -
> 
> I can't help notice you've penned the lyrics to The Postal Service's song, _Clark Gable_. (I will say that’s an awful choice to add to such a wonderful poem.)
> 
> I hope you realize that the lyrics are about the narrator being bitter about how other couples are lying about love. They’re not telling anyone the _real_ horrors about relationships; how passion isn't harmonious. It sucks, but it can be good; sometimes the bad outweighs the good.
> 
> Might I offer the rebuttal of The Post Service's _Nothing Better_ in the form of these lyrics:
> 
> _I feel I must interject here_
> 
> _You're getting carried away feeling sorry for yourself_
> 
> _With these revisions and gaps in history_
> 
> _So let me help you remember_
> 
> So, gullible _pussycat_ , if you're so unhappy and so alone in your situation, you might want to change your circumstances.
> 
> \- U.C.

He looked at the words written on the white sheet of paper and frowned, but he folded the letter into thirds and enclosed it into the book. The plan was to return the book on his next free day, but fate would be a fickle mistress to him. He ended up going to the bookshop the next day.

The phone buzzed in his pocket. He answered it while walking home from work. “Hello?”

“Ulqui!”

Nel. Instantly, his okay day went to shit. It was an unconscious thing to answer the phone. Normally he’d send it to voicemail, but his somewhat jovial mood caused him to want to be social. Besides, it could have been anyone on the other end of the line, a former friend, co-workers, one of his students… Anyone.

“My name is--”

“She’s quite aware of what your name is, _connard_.” A male voice with a French accent. His green eyes narrowed as he kept walking, keeping away from the other pedestrians.

“Nel, what is it you want?”

“Oh well, Grimm and Bazz--”

Ugh, he didn’t know how he managed to keep his eyes from rolling out of their sockets. Ulquiorra did not want to know anything about her relationship with the two men.

“Is that the green-eyed idiot?” This voice was also male but spoke in German.

Ulquiorra sighed and ended the call. With his mood soured, he stomped to the bookshop. Urahara was nowhere to be seen and the kid tending to the register was some red-headed boy with a sarcastic mouth. He went to the shelf where his book was kept and swiped it from its nesting place. At least, this was in his fortune today.

He said nothing as he filled out the dull form. Ulquiorra merely took his book back to his apartment and decided that tonight would be dedicated to selfish pursuits in the way of reading the entire book in one sitting. And he would have if it hadn’t been for those pastel dinosaurs staring up at him as he opened the book to _The Fall of the House of Usher_. He gritted his teeth in frustration as he read the words. This person did not know when to quit. They did not know to stop pushing buttons.

A sneer crossed his face, but he quickly tamped his anger down. No, this would not be the time to lash out. With a bit of flourish, he pulled out another sheet of white printer paper and sat at his desk, simmering with irritation as he scratched his words onto the surface.

> O -
> 
> You seem to think I would take pleasure in meeting a vapid, mindless person like you. I wouldn’t. I guess I was correct in thinking that you were some spinster who was jaded with love. I am **not** lonely. Why should I surround myself with people who are only there for their own purposes?
> 
> As for my music selection, it is called sarcasm. I was merely telling you to shut up. I am quite aware at the meaning of the lyrics behind the song. Although, if you think that’s a masterpiece perhaps you should try Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, Part III” for your musical enjoyment.
> 
> I’ve been reading this book on and off for the past six months, and you are the first person to disturb my notes. I did not move the notes you left in the other book; please use common courtesy or are all Japanese people impolite, like you?
> 
> As for reading recommendations, you might find Emily Dickinson more to your trashy tastes.
> 
> \- U. C.

Ulquiorra folded the paper, shoving it back into the book. He spent the rest of his anger on deep cleaning his apartment, not that it required it but he needed an outlet for his emotions. He kept the book until the following Monday.

***

It had been a week since Orihime had checked out any books. She just wasn’t feeling escapism was the right activity to pursue for a few days, and then she was busy at work. Still, the entire week, the nagging thought of her self-pitying verse added onto _The Owl and the Pussycat_ wouldn’t leave her alone. She knew it wasn’t fair to leave it there for someone else to find, especially if that someone was finding inspiration with the original piece. She decided to go back to the bookstore after her shift and correct the situation.

When she arrived, the proprietor greeted her like a long-lost niece. She smiled and blushed, her long auburn hair veiling part of her face to her relief. The man was rarely so effusive. She wondered if he might have been drinking that day. She decided to ignore it and asked for the Lear, which he produced immediately. She found it suspicious. Had he been reading it? He must have been.

She thought about that all the way home and cringed, knowing the shopkeeper now knew how much of a loser she was, love-wise. She should have known better than to make herself so transparent. Wasn’t her defining characteristic unfailing positivity? At least the appearance of it, anyway. Without it, she was just another 24-year-old low-income shift worker, burning through her youth without anything to show for it.

When she got home, she took the book to the kitchen island near the trash bin. She opened the book, and to her dismay, saw another piece of folded white printer paper. Her heart sank. Two strangers had read her secret thoughts? She felt violated, but she knew she only had herself to blame. Before she opened the white paper, she took her Post-its and threw them into the trash. Then she closed _Nonsense Songs_ and put it back in her tote bag. She took the letter into her bedroom and closed the door, not that anyone else was home to disturb her. She was not surprised to learn that it was the same U.C. who had written the previous letter. She read its contents carefully three or four times, before carefully refolding it and putting it in her desk drawer and taking out another piece of stationary. This time she eschewed the pastel dinosaurs, opting for a muted green with an artichoke-shaped watermark in the background. She began to write, this time not in the chaotic, careless script she had used for her Post-its, but a slow, deliberate cursive:

> Dear U.C.,
> 
> You _must_ say many things, mustn’t you? I am very well aware of the nature of love, thank you, and even more cognizant of its often volatile tendencies. It provides me with a small modicum of relief that you seem to share this observation. What you seem to have incorrectly assumed though is that I identify with the narrator’s bitterness about love, when in fact I am not bitter, only saddened.
> 
> I’ll admit that I should have pulled those lyrics and the additional verse out this book earlier; it was not exactly intentional that I left them there, and I was inspired by your notations in the _Poe Anthology_. While _The Owl and the Pussycat_ is my favorite poem, on the day I returned it, I felt particularly mocked by its romantic fantasy. Since returning the book, I have regretted my indiscretion, and as you will see I have removed my notes.
> 
> As an aside, I am rather surprised to learn that you checked out this book. I don’t know you, U.C., but based on first impressions it doesn’t seem like something you would enjoy.
> 
> _Nothing Better_ is great inspiration for one able to walk away from a situation. Unfortunately, there are some things beyond my control that do not permit me to do so without incurring great damages. Do you have any songs about how to evict someone from your own apartment who refuses to leave and kind of scares you?
> 
> Not that it’s your problem. Sorry for the inconvenience.
> 
> Very truly yours,
> 
> -O

The next day she returned the book after work, and while she was there, she asked the young dark-haired girl behind the counter to hold it for the previous borrower and to make a note that even if he didn’t request the book that it should be offered to him. She left without making another selection.

She went through the following week much the same as the last and the one before. She fought with Ginjo, put up with his sloppy attempts to ‘make up’, and progressively faded into the background of her own existence. 

It wasn’t until the beginning of the next week when one of her classes was canceled, and she decided to call it a day and go home early, that her fog was lifted. It was not sunshine that cleared it away, but fire. As she pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building, she saw Ginjo walking down the stairs with a woman about his age - he was 32. As far as she knew, there were no tenants in the building who were 32-year-old women, at least not women who looked like this one - big, teased, poorly bleached hair, wearing a short leather skirt, and smoking a cigarette as she walked through the covered, open-air corridor. There was no way for her to know for sure that they hadn’t just run into each other outside, but she really didn’t need any proof.

It didn’t surprise her that she felt only minimal betrayal, and rather than shock, she felt resignation. She didn’t even put her car into her parking space, choosing just to drive away.

She drove for what felt like a long time, up the side of the mountain to the south of town to a look-out spot about halfway up. She sat, overlooking the now desolate, leafless trees around her and the white and gray buildings in the valley below, and felt nothing. She just didn’t care.

She didn’t recognize herself.

She decided that she needed to get herself together and climbed back into her car. But instead of driving home, she drove straight to the bookshop. The tall, burly man behind the counter greeted her courteously and offered her some tea, which she took, feeling grateful. As she sipped and took in the atmosphere, sitting wedged into a deep velvet armchair, she began to put things into perspective. She felt weary but buoyed. This place was her haven in the storm, so to speak.

After finishing her tea, she smiled at the man and returned the cup, expressing her thanks and asking for a recommendation. He recommended her a murder mystery, which she declined. Then he pulled out the Poe Anthology, explaining that it was becoming quite popular and that she was in luck that it had been returned recently. She gave him a wry smile nodded, taking the book and returning home.

It was like that day nearly two weeks ago was repeating itself. Amongst the small Post-its was another piece of printer paper folded and tucked between pages. She smiled to herself at this absurd ritual, took the book to her otherwise empty bedroom, and opened the letter. It was not what she had expected. The sharp, angry script felt like the writer was trying to stab her through the page. The naked vitriol was at an unprecedented level.

It stung.

It hurt.

She tried writing many clever, biting replies. She discarded them all.

Finally, three days later, when she had a chance to let the initial wounds caused by his words crust over, she wrote:

> U.C. -
> 
> I’m not old.
> 
> Your song selection is appropriate.
> 
> Emily Dickinson sucks.
> 
> I understand that you’re not Japanese, but you need to work on your ability to read the air. I believe the loosely corresponding idiom in English is to ‘read between the lines’. You have repeatedly cherry-picked my words and twisted them around to fit some kind of bizarre, nihilistic narrative you have going on. 
> 
> Anyway, if your intent was to hurt me, well done. You’ve succeeded.
> 
> -O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LANGUAGE TIME:  
> connard - (french, masculine) bastard


	4. Lying Tongues Are Clumsy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we're introducing strikeouts. Orihime can't really read what it says. We all can read what it says.

Halloween came and went. Ulquiorra paid no attention to the holiday that was just a commercial opportunity in Japan. It was several days into November when he visited the bookshop. He had turned off his phone because he didn’t want to talk to Nel or hear the insults her lovers would throw at him. Ulquiorra was not a shithead, and he was not an idiot.

 

He didn’t mean to pick up the copy of _Nonsense Songs_ again, but he did, along with a volume of Robert Frost poems. He read through the Frost poems the first week, taking time to digest what the renowned poet was trying to say but it wasn’t the same.

 

Frost did not have the same way with words that Poe put down so eloquently. It wasn’t satisfying. There were no scribbled notes or memories tied to this book. There was no correspondence connected to this book.

 

However, Edward Lear’s book did. Ulquiorra was disappointed when he saw the sticky notes were gone. There was nothing but a pale sage green piece of stationary. Gone were the pastel dinosaurs with their mocking crowns. Things had changed.

 

Oh, _how_ things had changed.

 

His green eyes scanned the letter and remorse ran through him as the sentences sank in. He had really put his foot in his mouth. He was digging a hole that he couldn’t get out of, and Ulquiorra knew it. This same thing had happened with Nel. He’d been insufferable then; nothing had changed. Pale fingers drifted over the words in the closing.

 

 _Truly Yours_.

 

Those words bothered him. He knew he was taking it the wrong way, but Ulquiorra couldn’t help feeling guilty at the text he had written to elicit such a response. He remembered the irate and biting letter inside the Poe volume. He had taken his anger out on someone he did not know on a personal level.

 

Besides, O possibly did not mean the words they wrote. It was just a formality.   

 

But once again he misread people. O’s words made him want to ask questions, but it wasn’t in his nature to care. Was O safe? Couldn’t sadness easily turn into bitterness? If O hadn’t meant to leave those notes inside the book then why did they write them? Obviously, they were trying to reach out to someone, anyone, about their predicament.

 

A frown graced his face and a boiling shame in his stomach, Ulquiorra picked up the Lear and the other book he had borrowed, making sure to bundle up before stepping outside into the brisk atmosphere. He made quick steps to the bookshop, bursting through the door to see the blonde shopkeeper standing there.

 

“Poe, I need it now.”

 

“Ah, did you enjoy--”

 

“I do not have time for idle chit-chat,” Ulquiorra snapped. He paused as he took a moment to realize how irrational he was being. He was being rude. “Please, I’m late, and I need the book.”

 

The other man nodded and retrieved the book which was under the counter. Ulquiorra hastily, with irritation, filled out that stupid form. He stopped before he took the book from Urahara. “Is the other person who borrows this book--Are they--”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“Is it a female that borrows this book and the Lear?”

 

The shopkeeper smiled. “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you anything about my other clients, Cifer.”

 

“Why not? You’re not a doctor or a--”

 

“I’m sorry,” Urahara said with finality.

 

With a nod of his head and a feeling of dread in his stomach, Ulquiorra took the book and walked back to his apartment building. He wasn’t planning on running into anyone, so it was quite surprising to see his male neighbor in the walkway. The green-eyed man tried his best to ignore the other.

 

“Hey,” the man said. Ulquiorra regarded him warily but nodded his head at the taller male. He was trying to focus on unlocking his own door but heard the heavy thumps of boot steps coming toward him. “I'm Ginjo; I live next door."

 

Ulquiorra's eyes slid over to the side. He knew this voice. It was the one that yelled every other day at the woman. This was the man who grunted on the other side of his bedroom wall.

 

“We’ve never met. You’ve lived here a couple of months, right?”

 

“Yes,” Ulquiorra replied in a flat voice.

 

“You got a name?”

 

“You may address me as Cifer.”

 

“Okay, nice to meet you, Cifer.”

 

Ulquiorra turned his head and finally saw the woman standing by the door. She was looking rather unimpressed with life with the oddly colored hair and the revealing clothing. “Is that your girlfriend? I can hear her singing at times when--”

 

“Her? Nah. I don’t have a girlfriend. The woman that you hear is my sister. I live with her, help out with the bills,” Ginjo replied in a way that suggested he was uncomfortable.

 

That didn’t seem as if it was a likely story. The apartments were only one bedroom unless Japanese people did things differently, Ulquiorra knew it was highly improbable that the voice he heard was merely this man’s sister.

 

“I must go, Ginjo. Have a nice afternoon.” Ulquiorra unlocked his apartment door and walked inside. He didn’t care if he was rude or not. He wanted to get away from the shady character who had approached him.

 

He sat down at his desk, depositing the book on the surface. He pulled out a sheet of paper and O’s latest note, smoothing out the crease. He reread it, then opened the _Poe Anthology_. Another note lay in the folds, it made his stomach restless, just looking at it. This had to be a response to the mordant letter he had written weeks before. Holding his breath as if that would help the impact, O’s words hit him. Hard.

 

He never meant to cause anyone harm.

 

With a sigh, Ulquiorra began to write, his pen making dark strokes over the page.

  

 

> Dear O -  
>     It’s funny you pegged me as a foreigner as I am indeed a misplaced soul from another country. I hail from Germany. I’m merely here for a job. I apologize if I come off as rude. I’ve never been good in social settings. I’ve been told I am an asshole with no tact. The song I’ve always related to with this is Goo Goo Doll’s “Iris”; I prefer the acoustic version. There’s also a version sang by a band called Sleeping With Sirens. The lead singer’s voice is high and has a slightly feminine tone to it.
> 
>    I’ve been in relationships before, so I comprehend the meaning of the word love and the emotion. I must point out that over time, sadness can lead to bitterness and the lyrics you chose led me to believe that you were indeed resentful of your situation.
> 
>    I’m rather confounded at the fact that you found inspiration in my scribbled remarks. I did see that you removed your thoughts from the book. I was slightly mortified that you had gone through my observations because they show how socially and emotionally stunted I am as a person. I did not enjoy the book at first, but I find myself drawn to Lear’s words ~~and you~~.

 

Ulquiorra bit his lip and ran his pen through those last two words, shaking his head. This entire letter was childish and stupid. Why would he pour himself out to a complete stranger? O didn’t want to know about him. He mulled over the beginning paragraphs. What could it hurt? It’s not like he was ever going to meet this O character. They were merely words on a page.

  

>    I have to know, are you safe? You wrote about the volatile tendencies of love and how you live with someone who scares you; it made me think of your well-being. If you cannot walk away from your situation, surely there is some type of help you can employ? A sibling or other family member must know what you’re going through, yes? If that is too forward of a question, please disregard it. ~~You’ve turned me into a curious creature.~~ I’m concerned.
> 
>    I apologize for assuming you were old. Your knowledge about Paul Simon’s song was impressive, so I took you for an older woman. You are a woman, right? The handwriting might have given it away, but then I could be wrong, especially in this day and age.
> 
>    I agree with the statement that Dickinson “sucks”. Her poetry is depressing twaddle.
> 
>     ~~I never wanted to hurt you. I’m sorry. I apologize. I’m such a dumbass.~~
> 
>    I offer these songs in apology for my harsh words.  
>    
>  The Killers - When You Were Young  
>  Go Radio - House of Hallways  
>  Coldplay - Fix You
> 
>    Regards,
> 
>    - U. C.

 

He carefully folded the piece of paper and stuck it inside the book, planning on returning it to the shop the next day. He asked the tall clerk to hold the book for the last person who borrowed it and then went on his way.

 

***

 

The two weeks following her return of the Poe book left Orihime feeling adrift.  She found her thoughts often wandering toward U. C. Who was he? What had happened to him to make him lash out at her like he had?  And what, if anything, had she done to cause it?

 

During this time she had avoided the bookstore. Not only was she not ready to receive another nasty letter, the thought also occurred to her that if she returned she might actually run into the man in question.

 

She had kept his letters hidden in her desk drawer; the same drawer where she kept nail polish and lost earrings without a pair.  It was a place she knew Ginjo would have no motivation to investigate. Why she didn’t throw them out, she didn’t know. When she was home, and Ginjo was out, she often found herself laying them out flat on her bed, pouring over the contents, and allowing their cuts to puncture her increasingly thick armor.

 

That is what she wore, armor.  Ginjo’s accusations, his lies, his demeaning comments - they didn’t relent.  Orihime had not confronted him about the woman from two weeks ago, and her emotional armor is what kept her from breaking down.  She knew it was over between them, but knew that she didn’t have the courage to kick him out. She didn’t have the energy, either.  She knew it would be a huge fight. She knew there was a good chance she would lose. She knew there was a good chance he would lose his temper, too.

 

However, today she opened U. C.’s letters and no longer felt anything.  Well, she felt a little sad that it no longer had the desired effect, but that’s it.  She decided it was time to take a chance and revisit Lear and Poe.

 

She walked into the bookstore, feeling unnecessarily sheepish, and asked if Poe and/or Lear were available.  Both were, and she checked them out and returned to her apartment. She had snuck a peek inside of Lear and was disappointed to find it clean.  She opened Poe, however, and there they were. Post its. It seemed like they numbered in the hundreds. Her heart beat harder, and her breathing slowed.  The now familiar handwriting both irritated and comforted her. She flipped through the book from back to front and found the first note that had caught her attention, the one asking, “What is the heart?”, and rolled her eyes.  

 

“Clearly he still hasn’t found it,” she said aloud with a sardonic laugh.

 

She flipped back a few more pages, and there it was. “The white paper of doom,” she said to herself as she withdrew the letter from the book’s crease.  She took a slow breath as she steeled her heart, waiting for the words to whip at her as she unfolded the page. Then, she read.

 

She read.

 

She read a third time.

 

And she cried.  She cried ugly. What was happening?  Was this the same U. C.? It sounded like a completely different person.  He was  _apologizing._ He was  _showing concern._

 

He was _kind_.

 

And what were these lines that were scratched out?  She tried over and over to read them but struggled as the lines were thick and he went over the crossed-out words several times.  The first was the hardest to read. The second was a bit easier. The third was unclear, but it seemed like another apology.

 

After reading and rereading for half an hour, she sat on her bed staring off into space, wondering what she should do next.  Part of her wanted to hug him, or at least the letter, but given that she didn’t actually know who he was and that the letter was an inanimate object prone to wrinkling and tearing she thought better of it.  

 

She took out her phone and took a picture of it.  Not as a trophy or an archive, but as a shopping list.  She put on her coat and sneakers and left for Book Off.

 

She went to the international used CD section and quickly found the Coldplay and The Killers albums.  She asked a shop assistant to check on Goo Goo Dolls and Go Radio, but she was out of luck. They mentioned that she might have better luck in Yamagata City, which was bigger than Yonezawa, but she was too impatient.  She wanted to get back home and start listening to his recommendations as soon as possible. Although she found most streaming websites lacking in audio quality, she felt it preferable to waiting.

 

She listened.  She looked up lyrics.  She ran them through a translating program just to be sure.

 

She wasn’t mistaken.  He was reaching out to her.

 

The question was, should she reach back?

 

Her hand went to her desk drawer.  She took out a piece of full-sized letter stationary.  She worked at a hobby store. She had a wide selection.  She knew exactly which sheet to choose. White. White that gradiated to a night sky on the top, with a crescent moon in the top center.  It felt peaceful. It felt an appropriate choice to respond to his peace offering.

  

> Dear U.C.,
> 
>    Thank you for your letter.  I don’t really know what to say.  It was quite unexpected. I have listened to your songs.  They were quite unexpected. Thank you.
> 
>    I don’t know what to say to your position that you are emotionally and socially stunted except to say that someone who truly has that affliction would be unable to write such a moving letter.
> 
>    As for me pegging you as a foreigner, I think you may have forgotten.  You revealed that you were a foreigner to me in your last letter. I still have it.   I still have all of your letters. I would not have guessed that you were German.  Farfegnugen! (Sorry, that’s the only German word I know. Thanks, Volkswagen.  Oh, there’s another one!) I know you say you’re not lonely, but being a foreigner here can be very solitary.  I hope you are managing alright.
> 
>    Thank you for your concern for my safety.  To be honest, I don’t know. I do live with someone who frightens me.  He cannot be argued with. He cannot be confronted.  I cannot refuse him unless I want a battle of wills.  When I cross him, he is very aggressive. He has never hit me, but he does become destructive with my personal items and shouts at me, invading my personal space.  I don’t know why I’m telling you this.
> 
>    Anyway, I’m sorry to burden you with that information.  I don’t have anyone to talk to about it except my friends who live abroad, and they can’t help me so I don’t want them to worry about me.  My only living relative is in a senior care facility and is in failing health. I don’t want to bother her either.
> 
>    You made me laugh when you asked if I was a woman.  Yes. I am. I realize now that I’m not writing in a defensive mood, that age is relative and that I may well be an old lady from your perspective.  I’m 24.
> 
>    I accept your apology.  I welcome your songs. I offer you songs in return:
> 
>  
> 
> The Pixies - Where is My Mind
> 
> Howie Day - Collide
> 
> Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself
> 
> The Cranberries - Dreaming My Dreams
> 
>  
> 
>    There is no particular thread connecting these offerings except that they speak to my heart after reading your letter.  Thank you again.
> 
>    I remain, as always, very truly yours,
> 
>    -O

 

She didn’t return the Poe the next day.  She wanted to hold onto it and look through his Post-its for the remaining time she had with the book.  She did take Lear and her letter to the bookstore, sat in the velvet armchair, and took out a Post-it. She added her sad verse back into it.

 

Then she added more:

 

_The pussycat cried for a night and a day,_

_A day and a night she cried;_

_And then came along from a land far away,_

_A bat so frightful she thought she’d die!_

_She’d die,_

_She’d die,_

_So frightful she thought she’d die!_

 

_The bat said to she,“There there, can’t you see?_

_Your troubles are airy and light._

_You ought to be dancing and prancing with glee,_

_Not weeping with raindrops all night.”_

 

_The Bat’s wings they unfurled, and he carried away_

_The Pussycat from her mournful tune;_

_And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,_

_They danced by the light of the moon,_

_The moon,_

_The moon,_

_They danced by the light of the moon._

 

She deposited her letter in the same page and returned it to the counter, and left for home.


	5. On The Floors of Tokyo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of masturbation in this chapter and Ginjo rutting around like a pig.

Work had kept him busier than usual for the rest of the week. His tutoring students had exams coming up. It was nearing the end of November; the Christmas holiday was approaching. Ulquiorra didn’t obsess over the words he had written. If O read them, it’d be fine. If she didn’t, then he didn’t have anything to worry about. It would be understandable if she didn’t reply to him He’d been an absolute jerk for no good reason.

 

He'd been thinking about O a lot, lately. He had this image in his head of a woman who hid her pain behind a broad smile. A woman who never let anything break her down. A woman who wouldn't let her problems interfere with her life.

 

Ulquiorra, on the other hand, was different.

 

He still had other problems in the form of his ex-girlfriend. Nel still sent him texts and left him voicemails which he did not listen to. He barely read her texts because they were the usually the same words over and over then rearranged.

 

_\- Ulqui! Call me!_   
_\- Ulquiorra we need to talk!_   
_\- Ulq, I have something to tell you!_   
_\- PICK UP YOUR PHONE, CIFER!_

 

It was tedious at times, dealing with Nel. Ulquiorra should have dealt with the situation, but he clearly felt like it was needless. What good would it do to talk when she was just over nine-thousand kilometers away from him?

 

It was strange how he and Nel met. He literally ran into her in a pub, making her spill her drink. After buying her another glass of whatever she was consuming, Ulquiorra spent most of the night conversing with her. They both liked music. They liked Bayern-Munich FC. They hated idiotic people.

 

Other than the good sex and their eclectic tastes in music, they didn't have much in common. Their differences became part of the problem. He and Nel decided to visit a friend of hers in America, and it became even more clear that they were vastly different. He wanted to experience everything that this infamous city had to offer. Ulquiorra wanted to explore the small shops and markets sprinkled throughout New York City. Nel and her friend Tier just wanted to shop for clothes. It really was a waste of money. He felt left out when they would hang out with Nel’s friends, not being included in their conversations, not that he had much to say. He didn’t get their private jokes. He was merely an outsider, standing on the edge of a world he knew nothing about.

 

It seemed that the version of Nel he knew was only a mask and when around her friends, she appeared more at ease around them. Nel and his relationship seemed superficial. It didn’t help that he didn’t like socializing or opening up to anyone.

 

Once they returned to Germany and those men had moved in, Ulquiorra knew the eighteen-month relationship had run its course. It was time to move on. After six months, he had accepted the failure of their romance while she was still hounding him, nipping at his heels.

 

On Tuesday, which was frigid to his standards, the week after he returned Poe, Ulquiorra visited the bookshop. He was greeted by the dark-haired girl behind the counter. As he browsed the shelves for something other than Poe and Lear, he ran into Urahara who was placing books onto the shelves near the back of the store.

 

“Cifer!” the man chirped.

 

“Hello.”

 

“Lear is waiting for you at the front--”

 

Ulquiorra looked up at the man with a frown. “I didn’t come here for that, nor do I want to revisit Poe. I came here for something new.”

 

“I think you should take a look at  _Nonsense Songs_ ,” came the reply.

 

The dark-haired man scoffed. “Any other recommendations?”

 

“I think  _Wuthering Heights_  might suit you,” Urahara commented as he continued to replace the books. “There’s always  _Ethan Frome_.”

 

He had heard of both books, and after reading the summaries and the papers on them, Ulquiorra put them in the same category as Dickinson; hormonal bullshit sprinkled with bad romantic tendencies. Was this shopkeeper mocking him?

 

It then dawned on him that Urahara had most likely taken a look at all the notes he had stuck inside the Edgar Allen Poe book that he had borrowed almost obsessively. It was almost certain that the man knew about the letters that he and O had exchanged. Was there a letter waiting for him in the Lear volume?

 

“Do you have a copy of  _The Art of War_?” It was a veiled threat towards the man, but it seemed to go unheeded.

 

“Of course, name one respectable bookshop owner who doesn’t have one copy of that great masterpiece?” The blond man said with a smile on his face. “Go up to the counter; I’ll get your book.”

 

This made Ulquiorra roll his eyes. Urahara seemed to be just as daft as Edward Lear, but he walked up to the front to wait for his request. He had no intention of reading The Art of War, but he couldn’t appear desperate for  _Nonsense Songs_. He couldn’t help but notice that Lear’s book was sitting under the thick tome of Sun Tzu’s writing. He’d read it once in his life before. It was dry and lifeless like the last leaves hanging off the trees. He filled out the form and grabbed books that were offered.

 

One of these days, Ulquiorra was going to tell Urahara about how shitty his filing system was and that it could all be condensed into a simpler and more efficient structure.

 

He walked quickly away from the shop and soon as he was out of eyesight, Ulquiorra opened  _Nonsense Songs_. The book unfolded right where he wanted it to be, the words of  _The Owl and The Pussycat_ staring up at him. His breath caught in his throat as he saw what was on the thin surface of the page.

 

 _Post-its_.

 

Sticky notes adorned the page, written with the handwriting he had come to know. There seemed to be a carefree lightness to the script that made the corners of his mouth quirk up. It wasn’t really a smile, but it wasn’t the bland expression he always wore.

 

His slight apprehension was due to the folded sheet of white paper that was stuck in the crease of the book. O had replied although he had given her a half-ass apology. He rarely said he was sorry for his actions, but somehow this person who rudely entered his life had him second-guessing himself in such a way that it left him speechless.

 

What was it about O that made them so special that he felt guilty for not sugar coating his statements?

 

Instead of walking home, he found a cafe to take shelter in, ordering coffee and a piece of banana bread then sat down at a table furthest away from anyone else. He set the books on the surface, making sure that  _Nonsense Songs_ was on top. He carefully took a sip from his cup before opening the book to the page with the note. Taking a deep breath, he finally read O’s new letter to him.

 

It was rather standard gratitude, thanking him for an apology. To him it was nothing, at least that’s what he told himself. He could feel his cheeks getting hot at her saying he was not the equivalent of an emotional midget. Ulquiorra never took compliments well. They made him uncomfortable.

 

The real surprise came at the fact that she kept his letters. He was certain that O would have thrown his correspondence into the garbage and not give it another thought. He sighed in irritation at the fact that this person did not have a way out. If he could--No, it was a silly thought. If O could rectify the problem, they would, but it was dismal that they had no one to rely on.

If he really thought about it as he nibbled on the carb-loaded, fruit-laden bread, he and O were in the same boat with having no support. There were no life jackets, and if the boat sank, they would go down with their ship.

 

He almost laughed at the fact that O was indeed a woman; a young woman who was a year younger than he. At twenty-five (soon to be twenty-six) years old, Ulquiorra had a degree in Education from a prestigious university in Munich. He traveled to other countries and was well versed in other cultures. All of that nonsense that he thought made him better than others was nothing in Japan. He was merely a foreigner who had invaded; a flesh tape recorder droning on about the alphabet and syllables.

 

Relief flooded through him as he read her acceptance of his apology and his music choices. As he took a sip of his coffee, Ulquiorra almost spit the warm liquid out of his mouth as his eyes landed on her song selection.

 

Being that young (and Japanese) it was possible that, perhaps, O didn’t know about the meaning behind a certain song. Maybe she was just going by the jovial lyrics. It was quite possible that she had no clue what Billy Idol meant.

 

Wait, what if O did know what Billy Idol meant. O was a woman--The slow realization dawned on him that if O had a pulse that meant--Oh shit. His eyes which were normally flat and disinterested in the world that passed him by went wide with shock.

 

He had mental images of what O looked like. He had dreamt of her voice and her body, sometimes waking up frustrated about the situation he found himself in. Was O suggesting that she touched herself while thinking of him?

 

That was ridiculous!

 

However, his hormones had another idea about that thought. Fumbling with his belongings, Ulquiorra stood and left the cafe, not bothering to finish his food or coffee. He paid his bill. He was suddenly feeling too warm to be in a building, hoping that the cold air of the evening would dampen his interest in O.

 

It didn’t if anyone was keeping track.

 

He raced up the stairs to the floor his apartment was on only to be greeted by Ginjo. Ulquiorra looked at the man who had a different woman with him and said nothing as he slammed the door of his apartment. He discarded his shoes, coat, and scarf. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he put his books on his desk, taking O’s letter and his phone with him into his bedroom.

 

His brain wasn’t giving him a chance to argue against what he was about to do. The long sleeved t-shirt he was wearing flew across the room; his trousers and socks followed shortly after that. Looking up the song on his phone and tapping the play button, Ulquiorra winced as the song buffered before he threw the device on his bed and then fell beside it. The letter he was more delicate with, placing it beside the phone.

 

Ulquiorra closed his eyes briefly as the song began to play. In his thoughts, O was smiling. She was beautiful. He felt for the letter, picking it up and reading over the words. These songs spoke to her heart meaning he made a connection with someone. A strange feeling swept over him as he contemplated her final words penned onto the page.

 

Very truly yours.

 

His free hand slid down his chest and stomach, tickling the skin that his fingers ghosted over. It sent jolts of slightly uncomfortable pleasure through his body. He was hard causing his boxers to tent. It wasn’t often that he did this, giving in to bodily temptations like some horny young man. Ulquiorra thought himself to be too refined for things like that.

 

All he had was this letter and her words. Did he dare ask O to meet him? He could imagine kissing her, his lips pressed against a sweet mouth. Lapping at the lonely woman’s neck and collarbone with his tongue. He could imagine cupping her face and touching her body with graceful movements.

 

She’d probably be soft under his hands.

 

A groan left his lips. His hand slipped around his cock, gently stroking the firm skin beneath the fabric of his underwear, tired of teasing himself. Bringing the letter closer to his face, Ulquiorra's breathing sped up. An unfamiliar scent drifted around him as he read her words again. Floral and warm, he inhaled deeply wanting to memorize it.

 

Was this what O smelled like?

 

He knew he had peculiar tastes concerning sex and partners. He liked encompassing the whole experience. He enjoyed it when his partners smelled nice. He sped up his caresses, and a well-known tingle started between his shoulder blades and spread through his arms and down his back. It wouldn’t be long before this bodily tantrum would be over and he could get on with his life.

 

However, his neighbors had a different idea. He heard that familiar growling on the other side of the wall over the music and springs squeaking in protest, not to mention what seemed to be fake moaning coming from a woman.

 

Ugh.

 

Hearing his next door neighbor having sex, or by what it sounded like, attempting to fuck, instantly killed his libido. He’d never been turned on by hearing the sounds of porn, so it was an instant mood killer. A frustrated growl left his throat, and Ulquiorra sat up on the bed, teeth gritted in vexation. With reluctance, he got redressed but this time in a pair of comfortable pajama pants and another t-shirt then returned to his desk with the letter and phone.

 

Looking around the living space, Ulquiorra realized what a mess he’d been. His belongings were strewn everywhere. The books were piled haphazardly onto the desk. He’d worry about the mess later, right now he had a letter to write.

  

> Dear O -
> 
> I enjoyed the new verses that you added to The Owl and The Pussycat. I would call the modifications to Lear’s thoughts delightful.
> 
> I’ll teach you  ~~many~~  other German words and phrases. I have been told that I have an  _backpfeifengesichts_. It means I have a rather slappable face. My ex said I was rather frustrating and would often throw this word at me when arguing.
> 
> I know this note is short but I’ll leave you with these songs. I hope you find them as pleasant as I found your selections to be  ~~, however, I am confused at the Billy Idol song. Are you trying to tell me something? Can we meet? That makes me sound like I am desperate but I need--I’m going to shut up now~~.
> 
>  
> 
> Savage Garden - Universe
> 
> Jesse Cooke - Fall At your Feet
> 
> Swell Season - Falling Slowly
> 
> Joe - I Wanna Know
> 
>  
> 
> ~~Thinking of you~~ Regards,
> 
> \- U. C.
> 
>  

Ulquiorra finished the letter, signing his initials. He left the book where it was and crawled into bed. He wasn’t expecting to find sleep that night but found himself waking up, refreshed the next morning. He stopped by the bookshop to return both books that morning, not bothering to look at whoever took them.

 

***

 

Things at home were becoming progressively worse.  Ginjo was bringing women home at all hours, even when Orihime was supposed to be home.  Still unable to bring herself to deal with it, she would either go to the bookshop or a cafe or just wait in her car until whatever bimbo he had over left.

 

She always had the  _Poe Anthology_ with her, and during those time-biding moments she would often crack it open and look at U.C.’s annotations while listening to a song he had recommended.  She felt connected to him, somehow.

 

This time as she sat in her car, drinking peach tea out of a box with a straw and snacking on some cheese Curls - or  _Carls_ , she wasn’t sure how they were meant to be romanized - her thoughts drifted back to U. C. and she opened her phone to the picture she had taken of his latest letter.  It suddenly occurred to her as she read it over for the hundredth time that she had been making a lot of assumptions about him. Or her. Or it. Or they. What was she thinking, carrying on like this when he already knew her age and that she was a woman?

 

She brought the book to her chest and squeezed it to her heart, fully aware that she was an idiot, finding so much solace in the words of a complete stranger when she should be dealing with the situation that was causing the curtains in her bedroom to flutter in a familiar arrhythmic manner.  When had this happened? When did her focus shift?

 

Still, she would be lying to say that what Ginjo was doing didn’t hurt.  He  _knew_ she was supposed to be home by now.  He did it anyway. He did it to prove to her that there was nothing she could do about it.  He was right, she knew, her straw rattling as she sucked at the bottom of the empty tea container.

 

She looked down at the book of Poe and sighed.  She didn’t want to let it go. Sure, she had the letters, but they weren’t the same as the solid, weighty object now pressed to her breast.  She blushed a bit, thinking about what she was doing, then carefully set the book down in the passenger seat of her car and rolled her eyes at how ridiculous she was acting. Although Poe wasn’t due back until tomorrow, she put the car in drive and made her way to the bookstore, hoping that maybe they were staying open late.  She needed some distance between herself and the book she was treating like a security blanket.

 

When she arrived, she put the book on the counter, but before removing her hand and allowing Urahara the opportunity to stow it back under the counter, she asked for a piece of scrap paper and a pen.  Urahara smiled knowingly and turned to the side for a moment, returning with the requested items. On a scrap of paper, she quickly wrote:

  

>  Dear U.C.,
> 
> Thank you for your patience with me holding on to this book.  I’ve missed our correspondence.

> Very truly yours,
> 
> \- O

 

She put the scrap in the front cover and released it back into Urahara’s custody.  She then walked away to a rack of new releases, under Urahara’s watchful gaze.

 

“Oh, Miss Inoue?”  he called after several moments of her browsing the story descriptions on the new titles’ glossy jackets, “I think I may have something that would be more suited to your tastes.”

 

She turned and saw him holding up the familiar copy of  _Nonsense Songs._  She gave him a lopsided smile and approached the counter, embarrassed that she had become so predictable.

 

“How have you been, Miss Inoue?” Urahara asked in a soft voice.  She had never heard such candor from him before; his tone was not at all full of his customary evasiveness.

 

Orihime looked up into his shaded eyes, taking the time to allow her own to adjust to the low light below the brim of his hat before answering, “You know me, I’m always healthy as an ox,” she said, tapping on a bicep and smirking.

 

Urahara’s eyes narrowed as he passed her the book.  “Please let me know if you ever require any assistance, Miss Inoue.”

 

Orihime nodded warily and thanked the shopkeeper as she passed the borrower’s form to him.  She put the book in her tote and returned to her car. She considered going home to see if Ginjo was done with his extracurricular activities, but thought better of it when she looked down at the book peeking out of her bag and heard her stomach growl.  The Curls/Carls had been insufficient; it would have to be food first.

 

She decided on a cafe not too far away from the bookstore - one that had live music on the weekends and had low lighting and privacy.  They also had a great music selection and would allow the customer to play their own music if they brought it.

 

She ordered an “F Cup” sized coffee and a bowl of loco moco, and took the book out of her bag.  She opened it and saw what she had hoped for. She took out the letter and began to read.

 

By the time her food arrived, she was a mess.  Her face was hot and red. Her hands were shaking.  Her lips were swollen. Her eyes were glassy. The waitress saw Orihime pull her hair up off of her neck and asked if she needed some water, and Orihime nodded with enthusiasm.  While the waitress went off to fill a water glass, Orihime put together a streaming playlist on her phone of U. C.’s recommendations, and when the waitress returned she asked if it would be alright if they could play the songs while she ate.

 

As always, the staff obliged.

 

Orihime ate in silence as she listened to the songs, and reread excerpts of the short letter.  Her heart warmed as he praised her additional verses to  _The Owl and the Pussycat_.  He didn’t have to say that.  She knew it was garbage. It was sweet that he said so anyway.

 

His next paragraph confused her somewhat, and she was unable to get any idea what the word he had struck through was.  She wondered why his ex said he said he had a slappable face, and made a mental note to ask.

 

She also made a mental note not to refer to him as “he” anymore until he - until  _U. C. --_ no, too clumsy -- until  _one_ confirmed one’s true gender.

 

The last paragraph is what really made her blush.  Was he? No, was one? Was one  _flirting_ with her?  More than half of the paragraph had been struck through, but she was able to make out most of what he had written anyway.  What about the Billy Idol song was confusing? What would she be trying to say? Why was one desperate?

 

She finished her loco moco as she read the last line.  One had barely bothered to strike out the line, “Thinking of you.”  Her breathing was rapid and shallow as she realized she was either being trolled hard or U. C.  _was_ flirting with her.

 

She took a sip of her now room-temperature coffee and listened to the songs U. C. had chosen.  They seemed rather… sexual. That couldn’t be right. No, it must be that her English listening skills needed brushing up.  But one of the songs she had heard before -  _Falling Slowly._ She knew it from a movie she had seen a few years ago and had loved it then.  She had looked up the lyrics. She knew it was a love song. Why was U. C. recommending her a love song?!?!?

Her heart fluttered.  She chastised herself.  Why should she be so affected?  U. C. was nothing more than letters on a page.  He/she/it was no more real to her than Lear or Poe.

 

Why did this feel like falling in love?

 

Her phone was returned to her, and she paid her bill and went home.  Ginjo was already passed out on  _her_ bed and reeked of sex and beer.  She didn’t bother turning the lights off for him as she changed into pajamas and took her stationary set from her room to the living room and sat down to write.

 

But first, she did some research.  Indeed, she had heard the songs correctly.  Either U. C. was horny or happy; she wasn’t sure.  Then she looked up the lyrical interpretation for the Billy Idol song.

 

She nearly fainted.  How _could_ she?  What did U. C. think of her?  After the tenderhearted songs he recommended to her, she recommended back a song about  _masturbation_!?!?

 

She wanted to sink into the sofa and die.

 

After trying not to hyperventilate she reread his letter. _She_ had done this.  She had turned him/her/it from a repentant sweetheart to someone curiously sniffing at what she appeared to be offering up on a silver platter.  She sighed and shook her head. U. C. was not to blame. She was.

 

She couldn’t say she  _wasn’t_ curious about U. C.  He/she/it had fascinated her since the first rebuking letter.  As their communication progressed, she found herself almost obsessing about it at times.  Sometimes at inappropriate times. _Often_ at inappropriate times.  She had to think about  _something_ while Ginjo used her as a human sock.  In fact, just last week as he did what felt a lot like laborious push-ups on top of her, he heard her say “U.C.” faintly.  He had stopped for a moment, looking down at her, sweaty and puzzled, and asked her what she had been saying.

 

She improvised, mighty cleverly, she thought.  “I’m singing the American national anthem. ‘Oh say can _you see~’”_

 

Ginjo had merely shaken his head and went right back to plowing her numb.

 

She shook her head at the memory, still impressed by her own quick thinking, and looked down at her box of stationary.  She fingered through the various sizes and patterns. Nothing seemed appropriate. Singing hotdogs - no. Smiling tacos?  Definitely not. Triangles, targets, vertical lines - why did everything look so perverted?!?!

 

Finally, she decided to just close her eyes and grab something.  She did. She groaned as she looked down at the pink sheet of paper with hearts on it.

 

_Whatever._

 

She started to write.

 

 

 

> Dear U. C.,

>  It occurs to me that other than your nationality I know nothing about you.  I have always assumed you to be a man. Is that assumption correct? Please advise, I would hate to continue under false ideas.

>  Thank you for your song recommendations.  I quite thoroughly enjoyed them.

 

She stopped there for a moment.  She closed her eyes and felt ashamed to admit to herself that at this point, she didn’t care how it was interpreted.  She had already done her worst. She may as well just put it all out there.

 

 

 

> I especially liked  _Falling Slowly._ I have heard that song before but it has been a long time.  As for Billy Idol… Sorry. I didn’t know. I swear. I’m sure you think I’m a total pervert now.

> Anyway, I’d be happy to learn some German, if you wouldn’t mind teaching me!  I have studied English for a long time and I enjoyed learning it.

> I’ll end here with more song recommendations for you:

>  

> _Liz Phair - Why Can’t I?_

> _New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle_

> _When in Rome - The Promise_

> _Foo Fighters - Everlong_

>  

> I’m off to bed now, well, not bed, that’s occupied.  I’m off to sleep on the sofa. Sweet dreams, if you read this at night.

> Very truly yours,

> -O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LANGUAGE TIME:  
> backpfeifengesichts - (German) a slappable face, a face "in need of a slap"


	6. Landslide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions masturbation. Ya'll will live.

The end of November flew by without any other mishaps. He focused on his job and tutoring once again. He didn’t need distractions but they came unwelcomed, particularly in the form of ideas and inappropriate thoughts. Most of his free time was spent in daydreams revolving around a certain woman with the pseudonym, O. He managed to finish what the asshole next door had halted. He felt creepy after cleaning himself up.

 

Vivid dreams plagued him when he slept. It’d been slow buildup but he couldn’t take it any longer. He jerked off to her words and ideas that formed in his brain while standing in the shower several mornings later, stroking himself slowly. Ulquiorra knew from experience that he would soon reach the point of no return. He was breathing rapidly and his heart was thumping inside his chest. This was a normal reaction. His muscles tensed and he bit his lip as he watched his release go down the drain with the water. 

 

He was some freak, a pervert. After toweling off, Ulquiorra just shoved the newest letter into a drawer with the rest of them, guilt overriding logic. Usually, words were nothing to him. He only believed in what he could see, his brain was rational. Assuming things only made matters worse.

 

He believed in O’s words. She seemed to be different than Nel, then again, Nel said she was an unconventional woman. In the beginning, the teal-haired woman had been different from the one she eventually morphed into. The same thing could happen to O. He was taking a huge gamble by reaching out to her. He should have just thrown her little musing away the first time he laid eyes on it.

 

It had been ten days since he had stepped foot into the bookshop when the first of December rolled around. The day wasn’t really special. It was his birthday that he never celebrated. Yeah, he bought himself a new CD from Tsutaya but he deserved something for making it this far in life. The only other thing to happen that day was Nel calling him.

 

He had not heard a friendly voice in almost two weeks. Only the sounds of the city combined with the voices of strangers surrounding him made him answer that call.

 

“Hello, Nel.”

 

“Oh! I’m surprised you picked up the phone.”

 

Ulquiorra sighed then replied with, “Did you actually want something?”

 

“Well, one, happy birthday.”

 

“Thank--”

 

“And two, I’m pregnant.”

 

“WHAT?” He said in a loud voice. He immediately lowered his tone. “What?”

 

“Do you need to be dramatic about everything?”

 

Dramatic? Dramatic? This woman hadn’t even seen a fraction of what kind of levels of dramatic he was capable of attaining! “You think,” he paused to take a breath, trying to reign in his ire. “You think I’m the one being _dramatic_?”

 

“Yes?”

 

Ulquiorra’s eyes narrowed as her words registered in his brain. “I don’t understand. You’re now telling me about this?”

 

“Calm down--”

 

“Calm down? You just told me--” The dark haired man spluttered in indignation and his grip tightened on the phone. “Why did you not say something earlier?”

 

“I tried.”

 

He opened his mouth to offer a rebuttal but found he was speechless. Ulquiorra could not refute her claims. In the past six months, he’d answered her texts or calls enough times he could count them on both hands. “Fair enough, what do you want me to do?”

 

“Honestly,” the woman on the other end of the line sighed. “It’s not yours. At least I don’t think it is.”

 

He heard Nel trying to quiet the voices in the background. One voice was a melodic but angry German. The other voice, a smooth French accent. “I’d like your blessing. Let’s face it Ulquiorra. You were gone when this happened. Grimmjow and I want to get married.”

 

The relief felt soothing to his nerves when he heard this but it was followed quickly by hurt. Nel was finally moving on. This would be good, so why did he feel a pang of unhappiness? “Why would you be asking me this? Why would my opinion matter? Shouldn’t you be asking your father for his blessing as you call it?”

 

“Because you’re a stupid idiot and Nel seems to care about--” The words were angry and grating against Ulquiorra’s eardrums.

 

He scoffed. That had to be the Frenchman coming in loud and clear. “Nel, I do not care what you do. Marry them both. Have their babies. It’s not my concern. I appreciate it if in the future you try not to give me a heart attack on my birthday.”

 

“But--”

 

“Goodbye, I’ve got to get to work.” He said hastily, ending the call. Once his phone was in his pocket, Ulquiorra frowned until he reached the building where he taught his students. Hours went on and he droned on in his monotone voice. In his head, he was a mess. Nel had almost succeeded in baiting him into returning to Germany.

 

After his day at work came to a close, he trudged to the bookshop, almost groaning as he saw Urahara standing behind the counter. Maybe his day wasn’t that bad, maybe another new CD would perk him out of these gloomy doldrums.

 

“Cifer! Hello! It’s been a while since you’ve visited my humble shop.”

 

That cheeriness was fake. Ulquiorra blinked several times before raising an eyebrow at the man. “It’s only been--”

 

“Yes, and your books have been waiting for you.”

 

Books? Ulquiorra didn’t remember reserving anything here since dropping off the tedious volume of Sun Tzu’s and _Nonsense Songs._ “I beg your pardon?”

 

The fan came out which meant that blond man was smirking and mocking him. It was the only time it came out. “I insist you take them,” the shopkeeper commented.

 

Today was just getting better and better, he thought. “Okay, then,” Ulquiorra said. He was tired of people today and just wanted to retreat to his home. He had had enough. The universe was not granting his wishes.

 

This had to be the worst birthday ever. Ginjo was outside of his apartment, making out with a different woman. He appeared to be drunk and the woman was giggling. Ulquiorra rolled his eyes in disgust as he attempted to slip through his door before his neighbor noticed him.

 

“Hey, Cifer!”

 

“Ginjo.”

 

“I just wanted to, um, ask you a favor.”

 

The man reeked of alcohol and cigarettes. It made the pale man’s stomach twist in protest. “What?”

 

“I don’t know if you’ve seen my sister but if you do, can you not mention all the lady friends, I’ve had over? She gets pissy when I bring people are when she’s not here,” Ginjo said, his drunken stupor slurring his words.

 

“I have no intention of interacting with your “sister”,” Ulquiorra said, his tone sarcastic. It was lost on the drunk idiot.

 

The man smiled and went back to his own apartment, leaving Ulquiorra standing in the walkway. Green eyes narrowed at the man’s door, wishing he could kick someone or something. His grumpy disposition did not lessen as he entered his own dwelling, slamming the door as hard as he could.

 

He put the books down on his desk and then went to his kitchen where he rummaged around his cupboards for a bottle of sake. Just one drink wouldn’t hurt; it was his birthday after all. He didn’t go out partying or enjoying the company of others, so it would be okay.

 

Three hours and an empty sake bottle later, he sat on his bed with both Poe and Lear’s books in his lap. He found the scrap of paper where O had jotted words down.

 

She missed him? She didn’t even know him. He was a horrible person. He had no desire to interact with the world. So why did she miss him?

 

He opened up Nonsense Songs to see a pink piece of paper lying amongst the words. Pink, cute. It had hearts on it. He tried to read the words but they kept blurring. Ulquiorra would have read it, had he not passed out.

 

He woke the next morning with the books open and the same piece of pink paper clutched in his hand. His head was killing him; tiny little monsters were stomping around in his skull, wearing glass encrusted boots for maximum pain.

 

After water was guzzled and pain medication swallowed, he finally smoothed out the wrinkles of O’s reply with a look of discontent on his face. He carefully read her words, going over each sentence like his life depended on it. When he was satisfied with his knowledge of the letter, Ulquiorra decided it was time to answer her.

 

Pulling out the standard white sheet of paper and grabbing his pen, he found himself staring at that page, unable to articulate what he wanted to say. Maybe he should put this off for another day when he was feeling more like himself and not like death warmed over.

 

No, that wouldn’t be good. He had to deal with this.

 

 

> O -  
>  I am male; I just turned twenty-six. It’s funny because I assumed you were a female. I’m delighted to see we were both correct in our theories. I’m sure by now you know that I like Poe’s works and am well versed in various genres of music.  
>  I’m glad you enjoyed the songs I recommended. I hope I was not too impudent with them. ~~I was merely trying to give you a taste of your own medicine but it seems I was correct about you not knowing about Mr. Idol’s meaning.~~  
>  I do not think of you as a pervert. ~~If anyone should be called a pervert it should be me. After all, I blatantly listed several songs that contained sexual themes.~~ I took into consideration your age and your nationality. No worries on that front.  
>  As for instructing you in the ways of the Germanic _tongue_ , my schedule is full with teaching English to those who want to learn it and tutoring students who are studying it in school. I would be delighted to teach you if ~~it would get me alone with you~~ I had the time.  
>  ~~Ms. Phair can put a blunt sexual spin on anything. The line of ‘It's an itch we know we are gonna scratch’ speaks to me in clear words. I’ve already scratched that itch but it keeps coming back. I sound desperate again. Forgive me.~~  
>  ~~I’ve been wondering for the past several weeks if you think of me like I think of you. By that, I mean constantly. From your songs, I think it’s a safe conjecture that you do. I think about you more than I should. You and I are strangers, merely floating on this current; Serendipity almost...~~  
>  I enjoyed Everlong the most.   ~~I know the song is portrayed as being about addiction. It's not. I've never thought that. It's about being connected to someone so much that when you’re near them, you harmonize perfectly and are in sync with each other.~~ Dave Grohl knows how to speak to the mind almost poetically.  
>  I offer you these songs this time, hoping you can find some pleasure in them.
> 
> Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence  
>  Lifehouse - Everything  
>  Foo Fighters - Stranger Things Have Happened  
>  Gavin Rossdale - Landslide  
>  Josh Radin - The Fear You Won’t Fall
> 
> ~~I would offer my bed but you don’t know me and I don’t know you. So far our paths haven’t crossed and I’m tempted to plan a stakeout at the bookshop just to get a glimpse of you.~~ I also missed our correspondence. You bring a small slice of sunshine in these rather dreary winter days.  
>  Regards,  
>  \- U. C.

 

His green eyes looked down at the page to see black smudges where he’d scribbled out lines. He might as well start over. Ulquiorra sighed. He just didn’t have the heart in him at the moment to draft another copy of his letter. So he folded it and slipped it into the _Nonsense Songs_. He’d return the book in the morning.

 

Spending the rest of the day in bed listening to the songs she suggested, Ulquiorra found himself contemplating the lyrics of the song, _Nothing Better_. Although the song was about the usual arguments about breaking up, he couldn’t help think of the lines:

 

_Tell me am I right to think that there could be nothing better_

_Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together?_

 

O was in a relationship, and even if it was toxic, he had to respect those boundaries. He and O had no connection other than amicable words exchanged through a meddlesome shopkeeper, like grade school penpals which started out with discordant sentences and sarcastic insults. While their ideas and point of views were different, it would be rather idealistic for them to--No, this notion was silly. He wasn't one for relationships.

 

Maybe he was lonely if he was thinking of the idea that he wanted to be with O. He vaguely wondered what it would be like if he made a plea for her to leave her abusive lover. Ulquiorra wasn't certain but he was sure that anyone else would be more suited to the woman than whoever she was with.

 

He was more suited for her.

 

The notion seesawed in his head. Conflict ran through his brain. He didn’t want this. The asshole who didn’t treat her right did not deserve her. On the other hand, he was a pervert for thinking of her in a sexual manner. He was a liar for saying he didn’t want O to himself.

 

When the room grew dark, he found himself falling asleep and dreaming of her words again. His rest was pleasant but the rude awakening of someone screaming and doors slamming woke him up and put him in a bad mood the next morning.

 

***

  
Orihime woke up the day after dropping off _Nonsense Songs_ in a panic.  What the hell had she been thinking?!  She had a boyfriend! An asshole one that she really, _really_ , wanted to break up with, but that was beside the point.  She was not the kind of woman who was dishonest, and flirting with a man she had never seen or met while still attached to Ginjo, no matter how tenuous their bond was, went against her principles.

  
She could control her behavior, so she had no excuse.

  
She couldn’t control her heart, though, and her heart was singing about U.C.

  
It was Sunday, and Ginjo generally stayed home during the day on Sundays.  She had to get it together before he woke up. She went to the bathroom and washed her face, trying to calm herself down and think positively.  Really, what she had written wasn’t that bad. It would be a stretch to consider her words flirtatious. Her song selections on the other hand… Well, she would just have to hope he didn’t care enough to actually listen to them.  There was a good chance that was true, anyway. All her life people had ignored her, content to set her someplace in their lives where she would be seen but not heard. Even her friends had done this to a large extent. What should make this U. C. any different?

 

She looked into the mirror and sighed at her reflection.  He probably wouldn’t be any different. It gave her some small comfort to come to this realization because it meant that despite what her heart had been pushing her to do, she had not yet compromised her principles, at least not _technically._

 

She was yanked out of her thoughts by a sharp rap on the door.

 

“Speed it up, Princess.  I gotta take a leak.”

  
Her heart whispered, “ _This kind of “romance” is part of the reason…”_

 

She rolled her eyes.  Her brain knew it too.  She opened the door and was pressed flush into the door jamb as he barreled his way through to the toilet.  Their apartment had a door between the toilet and the sink/vanity, but he didn’t bother shutting it; he just dropped his pants and started to go while humming ‘ _Singing in the Rain’._

 

“Hey, Princess, you goin’ out today?”

 

“Maybe,” she grumbled.

  
“Nice.  Could you pick up some more of the jock itch cream?  I’m almost out.”

  
She shuddered, visualizing the red, scaly skin between his legs that he always blamed on his work pants chafing.

  
She barely disguised the disgust in her voice when she replied, “Yeah, ok.  Anything else?”

  
He turned around and gave her one of those grins that used to make her swoon, but now only filled her with resentment.  “Well, since you’re offering, I have a list in the pocket of my work jacket. It needs to be washed, too, so while you’re out you can swing by the laundromat and do it all in one go!  My treat!”  
She grit her teeth.  Where had her life gone wrong?

  
It didn’t matter.  She just wanted to get out of the house.  She went through the apartment with a laundry basket, picking up clothes that Ginjo had just let lay where he walked out of them.  She picked up two pairs of underwear that definitely didn’t belong to either of them and quietly walked it all to the front door.

  
As she was putting her shoes on, she heard from the kitchen, “Hey, are you gonna leave without giving me a kiss?”

 

 _A what?_  Her mind snarled.

 

“A _what?_ ” She accidentally snarled in real life.

 

Stomp.  Stomp. Stomp.  Ah yes, there he was.  

 

“What the hell is your problem?  Why do you have to be such a bitch about everything?”

 

She just sighed and looked away.

 

“Hey, _I’m_ not the one leaving her crafty shit all over the living room and sleeping on the sofa, leaving her pillow out and getting hair all over everything.  That’s disgusting. How do you think it makes me feel to have to sit on that or have people see it when they come over?”

 

Her shoulders slumped and despite herself, tears started rolling down her cheeks.

 

“What the hell, you’re crying?  Again? Jesus, you are a baby. Grow up, Hime.  Not everything is about you.”

 

Her heart stopped for a moment.  It wasn’t about her. She’d known that for a long time.  Later when she would look back on this moment, she wouldn’t be able to pick out what was different about this time, but something in her snapped.

 

“No, Ginjo, it’s not about me.  It’s about us. It’s about whoever’s underwear these are,” she said in a shaky breath while gesturing toward them.  “This isn’t working. It’s over. I want you to move out.”

 

He tipped his head back and laughed.  Cruelly. “Yeah right, Princess, you don’t have the first clue.  You’d be nowhere without me.”

 

She looked at him with a hurt and confused expression.  What was _he_ thinking?  This was her apartment.  She had made it on her own just fine before he came along.

 

He misread her expression completely.  “Aw, c’mon, Princess. I wasn’t trying to be mean; don’t be so sensitive.  But I guess it was kinda rude to assume you were going to do laundry today.  There really isn’t enough to make a special trip to the Laundromat. I’ll tell you what, you put that in the machine and I’ll hang it up for you while you’re out.”

 

“Whatever Ginjo,” she said, defeated.  She stood frozen in the doorway for another moment, considering her options, before she dumped the contents of the basket on the floor, dropped the basket on top, and turned out the door, slamming it behind her.

 

Her heart was pounding out of her chest as she took several quick steps away from the door and stopped, on the verge of hyperventilating; desperate to catch her breath.  She heard Ginjo kick something and yell, “Fucking bitch!” before slamming what sounded like the empty laundry basket against the inside of the door.

 

She heard a door beginning to open.  Orihime needed no further motivation to get out of there.  She ran down the steps to her car as fast as her feet could carry her and into the driver’s seat, fumbling with her keys for only a moment and squealing out of her parking spot.

 

Upstairs, a dark-haired, green-eyed foreigner peeked his head out into the empty hallway with an irritated expression.

 

Orihime drove nearly blind as tears flooded her face, and she wasn’t quite sure where she was going anyway.  She thought to return to the bookstore, but she didn’t want to show up in a state of distress and cause the staff to worry about her, so she kept driving.  She ended up at Book Off instead. She ducked her head at the chorus of “You’re here~!” and beelined to the international CD section.

 

She picked up jewel cases and pretended to look at them, not really paying attention, just trying to keep it together.  Her heartbeat was still racing and her thoughts were in chaos. What had she done? How could she go home go home after that?

 

She couldn’t.

 

She left the store empty-handed and returned to her car.  Before turning the car on she flipped through the CD binder she kept inside, stopping on a Fleetwood Mac compilation disc.  She put it in and skipped ahead to the track she wanted. She had listened to it a long time ago when her friends were leaving her, but now, older, wiser, she understood that then she had no idea what _Landslide_  was about back then.  She had a deeper appreciation for it now.

 

She wasn’t sure what she was going to do now.   Her options were limited. It was still only 11:00 in the morning.  She had her purse. She had a jacket. She had no other clothes. It was too cold to sleep in her car tonight, she thought.

 

She would figure out sleeping arrangements later.  She looked at herself in the rearview mirror and decided her eyes had dried up enough to go to visit her aunt.  It had been too long anyway.

 

She left the senior care facility several hours later, feeling glad that she went and sad about her aunt’s poor condition.  There was nothing to be done for her; she was simply old and just managing her ailments was all anyone aimed for. When she got into her car, the digital clock on the dash read 18:00.  

 

Where could she go?

 

She couldn’t go back.  The only way was forward.

 

She considered an Internet cafe, but she didn’t want to be rudely awoken by the sounds of someone sneaking some internet porn or snoring loudly in a neighboring cubicle.  She didn’t have the money for a business hotel, and she didn’t have any friends who were close enough to crash with who weren’t also Ginjo’s friends. She drove around a bit before it came to her: a love hotel.  She sighed as she picked the oldest, most oddly-named one in town, the one and only “Hotel B-J”. In small print on the sign, there was an explanation that the actual name of the hotel was “Hotel beautiful jewelry”, but no one in town was buying that nonsense.

 

She pulled into the parking lot as close as she could to the entrance and scurried into the lobby.  Orihime pointed at a picture of a room with an inexplicable Snoopy theme, paid 4000 yen, and had her room for the night.  Despite being thoroughly confused by the interior decorating choices, the room was comfortable and superficially clean.  Whether or not it actually was clean was something she didn’t want to think about.

 

She had stopped at a convenience store on her way for food and ate it in bed as she watched TV and laughed and forgot about her life until she started getting sleepy and, having nothing to wear to bed or fresh clothes for the morning, she stripped naked and laid down under the sheets on the enormous bed.

 

Laying there, nude in the dark in a strange place, she felt vulnerable.  Her thoughts wandered back to the last time she was in a place like this. It was when she and Ginjo had been dating for just a little while.  She remembered how rough and uncomfortable it had been for her and cringed; if she had known it wasn’t going to get much better over time she would never have done it the first place.

 

She wondered if sex was always like that.  She honestly didn’t know. She had only ever been with Ginjo.  Sure, she kissed Tatsuki once or twice when they first started experimenting with alcohol, but that was it.  All she knew was rough hands and sloppy, jerking movements that she just tolerated until it was over.

 

She touched her breast absentmindedly, wondering what it would be like to have someone touch her gently. Do people even do that?  Touch each other the way she touched herself? Not that she’d had a chance to do that for a long time, with Ginjo always in the way.

 

It _had_ been awhile.  Her own skin felt foreign to her.  She glided her palm across the underside of her breast and refamiliarized herself with its curve and weight.  She had always been rather proud of her breasts if she was being honest. She thought they were nice to look at; nice to touch.  She touched the other one as her opposite hand slid down her stomach, enjoying the soft smoothness of her skin. She stopped when she reached her curls, not really in the mood to play. She just wanted to remember, but she couldn’t recall the last time she felt any kind of sexual pleasure. Her fingers threaded lower to her lips, tracing the outline and not dipping any further. She felt a slight dampness anyway, which didn’t surprise her. Although she wasn’t planning on _dancing with herself,_ she had been enjoying her own touch as she explored her body.

 

Her mind began to drift off as she absently touched her body under the sheets.  The songs U. C. had recommended her played in the background of her mind, and she found herself imagining what he might look like.  He was German, but that didn’t mean much anymore. He could look Japanese for all she knew. Still, she imagined someone serious and purposeful; someone with no wasted efforts or movements.  Someone engineered to perfection. Her breathing shuddered as her thoughts took her to an image of herself and the faceless U. C., bodies pressed together and stealing each others’ breaths. What would it smell like?  What would he taste like? Probably like sausage, she thought and giggled. It was then that she realized what her hand was doing as she imagined U.C.’s own caress.

 

She pulled her hand away like she had touched fire.  What. Was. That? She could smell her own arousal on her hand and whined.  What was wrong with her? She was supposed to be sad and angry and plotting revenge against Ginjo, not fondling herself while fantasizing about some guy she never met and may never meet.  One who reminded her that there was a whole other world out there beyond the everyday grind she had constructed for herself. Some guy who she happened to feel very strongly about.

 

She sighed.  She padded over to the bathroom and cleaned up before returning to bed and pulling the sheets and blankets up to her chin, and just before she drifted off she whispered goodnight to U. C. It came as no surprise to her when she woke the next morning from a dream about him.

 

She didn’t have the luxury of sleeping in; check out time was early.  She quickly showered and put on the same clothes she had worn the day before and climbed back into her car.  Her destination was a small coffee shop near Urahara Honya where she could charge her phone, have some breakfast, and keep an eye on the bookstore until they opened.

 

She ordered a latte and a scone and nibbled at it as she checked her messages and emails.  Unsurprisingly there was nothing from Ginjo. Her friend Ichigo had sent a group message to their high school friends informing them that he and Chad were planning on being back in Karakura for New Years and wondering if they could organize a little reunion.  Orihime sighed. She probably wouldn’t have the money. She was going to have to fight Ginjo for her place, which meant lawyers, or find a new place, which meant security deposit and key money. She didn’t reply right away, instead closing her eyes and leaning back into her club chair.  Before she knew it she had drifted off.

 

She woke up to an apologetic voice.  “Excuse me, Miss? I didn’t want to disturb you but we’re about to have a shift change and we have a policy against letting people sleep here…” the young man’s voice trailed off, and she opened her eyes to see what looked like a blushing kid right out of high school.

 

“I’m up!  Please don’t apologize, I’m the one who should be sorry.”  She looked at her now fully-charged phone and her eyes widened; it was already afternoon.  “Thank you,” she added as she packed up her few belongings and left for the bookshop across the street.

 

Once inside, the young woman behind the counter wordlessly brought _Nonsense Songs_ up from under it and placed it on the surface.

 

“Any Poe today?”

 

The woman nodded and passed it to her.  Orihime filled out the form, and slid it back across the counter, offering her a weary smile.  The woman took it, and let her fingertips make contact with Orihime’s. Orihime looked up at her, surprised, and saw that although the younger woman was not smiling, her eyes narrowed into a knowing squint.

 

“Eh, he he,” Orihime laughed nervously, then whispered, “Does everyone here know?”

 

“Know what?”  The girl whispered back with a shrug of her shoulders before turning around and busying herself with the circulation rack.

 

 _They all know,_ she thought.  

 

She still had another two hours before work, so she went to get lunch at the same cafe as she had when she read U. C.’s last letter. She stopped at the 100 yen store on the way and picked up some cheap stationary with goldfish in the margins and a pen on the way.

 

She ordered a burger and a water and opened Lear.  A surge of excitement shot through her when the anticipated white paper came into view.  She carefully removed it from the book and opened it close to her face, as if the air disturbed by the action would mimic his breath on her face.  A silly thought. She began to read, and a smile stretched across her face, one wide enough to cause her eyes to crinkle in the corners. His words caused gasps, giggles, blushes, tiny little whines.  Leg crossing. Heat. Sensitivity.

 

His words.

 

His words were…

 

His words were hands caressing her.  He had struck out specific phrases, leaving her desperate to know what it was he said that he thought he could not reveal.  But in some places, his words were teasing, tempting her, to look harder, and decipher his true intentions.

 

She did not leave a word unturned.

 

By the time she had finished reading the letter, she was out of breath and whimpering.  His words sounded a lot like a confession. To her. To _her._ After everything with Ginjo and despite not having a place to sleep that night, her eyes stung and she blinked away tears with a breathy laugh.  She was _happy_.

 

 Her food arrived a moment later and she let it sit and get cold while she penned her response:

  

 

> Dear U. C.,

> Your letter has reached me at the best possible moment.  I have been having a rough couple of days, and your words have brought me some much-needed comfort, and frankly, joy.  
>  We are very close in age, I see!  No wonder we… wait, what do we have in common?  I’m not sure! I would like to find out, though.  Well, we have each other and these letters in common, I guess, and that’s enough for me.   ~~For now.~~  
>  So you like music.  I could have guessed that, based on your recommendations.  I want to know more, like, do you like dogs? Do you have any siblings?  What color eyes do you have? Can you swim? How many cavities have you had?  Coke or Pepsi?  
>  Would you like to know anything about me?  Well, I guess it’s a bit presumptuous of me to ask, so sorry if I sound conceited or something, I don’t mean to be.  
>  I thought your song choices from your previous letter were beautiful, if not a bit, um, how do you say it in English?  Do you speak any Japanese? Can you read it? Because what I want to say is that some of the songs you picked were a bit _エッチ_.  Do you know that word?   ~~I wonder if you can tell me how to say it in German.  I am so bad.~~ Anyway, that’s why I didn’t comment on them more.  By they way, I recommend that you don’t ask any of your coworkers or students what that word means, it might be a bit embarrassing if you do.  You could ask Mr. Urahara. I’m pretty sure he and everyone in his shop is reading our letters (I SEE YOU MR. URAHARA!!!)  
>  _Anyway_ , thank you for  giving me the benefit of the doubt about the Billy Idol song.   This time I will do my research before recommending a song!  
>  I’m sad to hear you don’t have anytime to teach me the Germanic tongue.  Even if it’s just a word here and there, though, I’d love to learn!  
>  By the way, I am a teacher too!  Not like a _real_  teacher, like you, but an art teacher at a hobby store.  So I choose projects and do them with customers who sign up.  It’s a lot of fun, I really love doing it, but the pay is not great.  Still, it’s enough to get by, and I work retail on days when I don’t have classes.  
>  I think you must be very highly educated to have obtained a visa to teach.  Did you study English? I went to an English conversation school here in Yonezawa a few years ago and my teacher told me that he was a theatre major in school!   I guess it doesn’t always matter as long has you have the correct level of degree. I was unable to go to university, so I don’t know what it is like, or how much a major really matters.  
>  I’m sorry about the Liz Phair song if it made you uncomfortable.  The truth is, since I began communicating with you, it feels like my world became a lot bigger. When I think about receiving a new letter for you, I can’t breathe, I get so excited.  Maybe it’s a very literal interpretation of some of her lyrics, because, um, I _do_ know what the song is about.  And you didn’t put a lot of effort into hiding some of your thoughts through your song choices either, Mr. C.  
>  ~~I think about you in my sleep.  I think about you all day.~~  
>  I’m glad you liked Everlong.  It’s a favorite of mine too. I wonder what you thought of the other songs?  Did you listen to them? I thought you probably wouldn’t so I wasn’t very cautious about what I chose.     
>  After I write this page, I will listen to your song recommendations and write more.  Sorry this is getting to be so long, I have a couple hours to kill right now… I, um, _kind of_  broke up with my boyfriend yesterday.  I mean, I told him it was over and I wanted him to move out, but he just laughed at me  and then I ran away.  I don’t know where I’m going to sleep tonight...   I’m going to have to go home eventually and sort this out, but not today.  Again, I don’t want to make this your problem. You seem to be interested? I think?  It’s weird. I feel like you are, but maybe you’re just passing time or being polite? I don’t know.  Please don’t ever feel like you have to listen to my whining. If you don’t want to hear the grumblings of a stranger, please disregard.  I just need to tell someone. Even if you don’t want to hear. Besides, Mr. Urahara and Co. are listening, _aren’t you?_  
>  You know, it wasn’t long ago that I avoided the bookshop because I thought there was an off chance I would run into that awful, nasty, U. C.  Now when I go, part of me hopes that you’re there. I would probably be able to recognize you there, I guess not a lot of foreigners go there.  Oh, that would be so interesting! I would know who you are but you wouldn’t know who I am. I could be just another customer borrowing Poe and Lear like some kind of obsessed weirdo.  
>  Ok, I’m off to listen to your songs!  
>  Ok, I’ve listened to your songs.   ~~Do I understand you?  I don’t dare get too hopeful, that maybe, maybe, maybe, you feel a little like I do?  Could you? Do you?~~  I found the lyrics to these songs deeply moving, and the melodies lovely.  I wish I could know what you are feeling when you listen to them. I feel a bit like Mr. Usher, ~~wishing that~~ thinking that your heart and mine can come together through words and music.  Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing?  
>  I have heard all of these songs before except the Foo Fighters one and The Fear You Won’t Fall.  I find Enjoy the Silence to be very poignant, although Everything could be described the same way.  It makes my heart ache a little when I hear them. Stranger Things Have Happened makes me worry for you a little, U.C.  Are you lonely? I know you deny it, and will probably continue to do so, but I can’t help but worry about you. I hope you are well.  I hope when you wake up in the morning you feel the sun on your face and smile. I am a cornball. Oh well. I can’t be not me. But in any case, knowing you are happy would make me happy.  
>  It is very coincidental that you recommended Landslide.  I have not heard the Gavin Rossdale cover before; it’s beautiful.   The reason I say it’s coincidental is that I was listening to the original while I was driving around town the past 24 hours.  Maybe our hearts aren’t so separated afterall.  
>  ~~You have nothing to fear.  I’m already falling. Fast.~~  
>  Here are my song suggestions for this time.  I’m giving them special consideration so there is not the same level of ambiguity as my prior attempts, although I doubt I’ll be successful:

> Kylie Minogue - Can’t Get You Out of My Head  
>  Mazzy Star - Fade Into You  
>  Bush - Glycerine  
>  The Smiths - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want  
>  Peter Gabriel - Blood of Eden 

> All my best, U. C.  I’ll look forward to your next letter.  
>  ~~Love,~~  
>  Very truly yours,  
>  -O

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LANGUAGE TIME:  
> エッチ or ecchi - (Japanese) pervert/perverted


	7. When Your Mind's Made Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oooooh... I mean oops... Ulquiorra made a mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out goes to our German translation machine!!!! [KSMILE1313](http://ksmile1313.tumblr.com/)! Thanks so much, darling, for your help with this!

He felt melancholy after dropping off the books and then heading to work. He was an idiot. He should have ripped up the letter and thrown away the remains or burned them. Ulquiorra had done something terribly stupid.

 

He revealed how he felt. It wasn’t an outright declaration, of course, but he hinted at it through words and various songs. If she ever deciphered his scribbled out and garbled words, O would know his intentions. He wanted to know her. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to--It was all stupid. Emotions were needless things to have. It was just chemical reactions triggered by certain responses mixing in the brain and muddling there.

 

He was sure that his feelings would never be returned and that this whole thing was one-sided. O would never return the same emotions, she was inaccessible. She had a partner. She had a boyfriend. They'd only known each other for only a couple of months. They were too different.

 

Ulquiorra was merely an acquaintance by circumstance. He was an intruder in her world. She had an already established life that he was disrupting. He thought about all the scenarios and situations which would bring this whole thing to a close. There were two choices he could make.

 

He could avoid her and that bookshop by never stepping foot inside, thus ceasing all contact with O.

 

There was always the option of pushing her away with hurtful words. He could do that. Ulquiorra had already done it once.

 

As a child, he didn’t make many connections with people. Friendships rarely lasted long and as he grew older, the romances and girlfriends were few and far between. Three women had the honor to say they knew Ulquiorra Cifer on an “intimate” level. Nel the one who lasted the longest. She was the one who saw what he was truly like at times. He shook his head. Thinking of Nel was never a good thing.

 

He needed more time to think. Being rash and executing his decision in haste would not be good.

 

Several days passed, Ulquiorra stayed away from Book Off and Urahara’s. He could hear Ginjo thumping around in the flat next door. People irritated him to no end. Why had he come to a place so densely populated?

 

Greenland would be more suited to his whims.

 

Whenever thoughts of the faceless O came into his brain he pushed them aside so he could focus on his job. Not that it was difficult standing in front of the residents of this town, saying, “Repeat after me please.”

 

Almost a week after he returned Lear, the green-eyed man came to a conclusion. None of it was good in any sense of the word.

 

He was going to go back to the rather brutal and icy ways and be an asshole to O. He had come into this country alone. He had been content with his life up to that point before stumbling across the woman’s letters. He didn’t need anyone. As he walked to the bookstore on his free day, each step filled him with anxiety and dismay at what he was going to do.

 

He shouldn’t feel like this. He had let this idealistic notion go to his head. It had gone on long enough. O was merely words on a page just like Poe, Lear, Frost, and Dickinson. If he tried hard, he could almost call her a figment of his imagination.

 

In the end, Ulquiorra ended up walking past Urahara’s, not bothering to enter the place. He couldn’t do it. He didn’t have the heart to tear the woman down. Why bother hurting someone that much that really didn’t matter to him? Wandering through the town, he let his thoughts drift. How had he let O through his defenses? How had he not recognized his feelings sooner?

 

Ulquiorra kicked at the pavement, frustrated that he had no answers. Eventually, his feet carried him to his apartment building. He was minding his own business when he heard the heavy thumps of boots, slamming against the walkway. Then he found himself turned around and pressed against his door.

 

His brain registered his attacker as Ginjo but it didn’t really sink in. “ _You asshole_.”

 

“I beg your pardon?”

 

“I bet you come over all the time when I’m gone, don’t you?” Ginjo growled at him.

 

Confusion filled his eyes. What was this man talking about? ”I’m sorry, but--”

 

“I’m talking about you fucking my girlfriend when I’m not here! You’re the reason she’s such a fucking bitch to me lately!”

 

This man was clearly drunk, or on some illegal substance. Perhaps both, Ulquiorra wasn’t sure. “I can assure you that I have never met your girlfriend. To be honest, the women you bring home are not my--how to say this--tastes. I have higher standards than the tras--those women that you--”

 

“Yeah right,” Ginjo retorted. “Ulquiorra Cifer, a foreigner from Germany who has been teaching English for the past six months. Initials U. C.. Sound familiar?

 

Ulquiorra swallowed as the hands that had a hold of his coat tightened. Why was this man bringing this up? Why did this sound so commonplace? “I’m not sure I see your point, Ginjo. Yes that’s who I am but--”

 

The greasy-haired idiot didn’t let him finish. “I asked around and found out a little about you.”

 

Now he was offended. Once again his privacy had been invaded by a complete stranger. “For what reason? I’ve done nothing to you and I’ve never met this sister--girlfriend, whatever she is to you.”

 

From the volume of Ginjo’s voice, Ulquiorra bit down on the fear building in his chest. “ _I know who you are_. Stay the fuck away from my girlfriend.”

 

After the altercation with Ginjo slamming the door to his own apartment, Ulquiorra walked away from the building, no longer interested in being home. He went to a local cafe, got coffee, and sipped it as he thought about what happened. There would be no reason that Ginjo could have to be angry at him. Ulquiorra had been nothing _but_ polite to the man, even when he didn’t want to be.

 

It wasn’t a matter for him to be worrying about. Whatever problems Ginjo had with his sister--girlfriend--thing was none of his concern. The slicked-haired asshole obviously had delusions of grandeur in his head if he thought that Ulquiorra would touch any of the whores he brought to the building. The accusations were tasteless and gross. Those women were nasty looking. Ulquiorra had standards. He had a type. Most of his former female partners had been large-breasted, with kind eyes and a smiling face. Not skinny trollops with hardly any teeth and badly colored hair. Yeah, Nel dyed her hair but it was done professionally and didn’t look at all like these at home treatments Ginjo’s women had on their heads.

 

Emptying his cup, Ulquiorra looked at his watch. Would Urahara be open at this hour? It was worth a shot. He left the cafe and headed in the direction of the shop. Once he arrived, back to its location, he looked up at the sickly green building. The fading sunlight did nothing to improve its color. The lights were on, giving off a soft glow through the window.

 

One of the things that made him appreciate Urahara’s shop was the fact that the inside look just like those old-timey bookshops in a quaint German countryside village. Maybe even some places in Paris, squished amongst the various bistros, bakeries, and markets. The dark wood of the floor and the dark shelves holding the old books combined with the soft lighting and the faint dust motes that appeared further into the shop made it feel like home.

 

He’d been tempted several times to sit in the chair beside the wood burning stove. Maybe he’d do that today, Ulquiorra thought as a sharp wind blew. It smelled like snow was in the air. He shivered with the chill and pushed open the door.

 

No one was at the counter, so Ulquiorra took the opportunity to browse the shelf where he knew the Poe Anthology sat. It wasn't there. Maybe O had borrowed it?

 

Ugh. He had to stop thinking about her.

 

He walked through the pathways, a small smile playing at his lips at the stacks of books sitting on the floor. It gave him comfort to see them. Although this place was chaotic, it was reassuring. It would have been, anyway, had he not stumbled into the small open area where the wood burning stove and chair sat in the corner.

 

A woman sat curled up into the chair, with a blanket carefully tucked around her. A small pile of books sat on the table beside the armchair with a teacup carefully perched on top. He waited for her to say something or to apologize but Ulquiorra realized she was asleep. Was she an employee here? He had never seen her before, except the dark-haired male couldn’t help feeling a sense of deja vu.

 

“Cifer?”

 

The voice made him jump and turn towards the sound. It had been soft-spoken but Urahara stood behind him, looking tired. The blond man beckoned then started moving towards the front of the store. Once they reached the counter, Urahara pulled Lear from under the counter and frowned. “Cifer,” he said, tapping the top of the book.

 

Why did it feel like he was being scolded for something? “I didn’t ask for this,” Ulquiorra replied in a quiet voice as to not wake the woman. She had looked exhausted even while sleeping. “I’ve read Lear many times. I’m tired of _Nonsense Songs_.”

 

“You’re going to ask for it. Let’s not play charades and lie to each other. You came here for this. No one can read Poe in a couple of days unless they were disinterested in sleeping,” the shopkeeper said with a sigh. “You clearly did not like this book when I suggested it.”

 

“You’ve read the--You’ve--” The words wouldn’t come to him. His tongue wouldn’t work to get them out. The air that wanted to rush past his vocal cords felt blocked.

 

Urahara nodded at him. “Do not play games with people.”

 

Who was he playing games with? All he wanted to do was read a book. Ulquiorra’s eyes darted away from the man, and he shifted his stance. “I don’t know what you mean. I rarely interact with anyone. It’s none of your business if I--”

 

“Your letters are my business. If you wanted this to be a private affair, there are more private avenues of communication,” the blond warned.

 

“Will you tell me--Could you please tell me if O--”

 

“She’s fine. Healthy as an ox as she puts it,” the other said. “She’s just tired.”

 

Tired? If O was tired why didn’t she rest? Why didn’t she relax? Why didn’t she sleep?

 

 _Tired_.

 

It all clicked into place. That woman, she was sleeping? Was that O? A small noise left his throat and Ulquiorra made a move to walk back to where the chair sat but Urahara stopped him by coming around the counter, grabbing his arm. “Take the book, go home.”

 

“I could talk to her. I need to speak with her. I just--that’s--” The words rushed out of his mouth without thinking. “I could never bump into her again.”

 

“Take the book and return to your apartment.”

 

“I’m not leaving until I speak to her!” Ulquiorra practically shouted. His heart was racing because he knew that was the woman he had been exchanging letters with. He felt that he was right. His gut was telling him that was O. Of course, he could be totally wrong.

 

“Tessai? Could you show Mister Cifer out? He seems to have lost his way to the door.” A tall burly man came from the back and started walking towards the men.

 

 _Nonsense Songs_ was put into his hands and Ulquiorra was rudely shoved out of the shop. He heard the lock click and knew it would be pointless to bang on the door. His mouth set in a frown as he watched the men in the window. They were turning off lights and walking back to where that chair and woman sat. He could see the glow from the stove.

 

Frustration and anger spread through his body, making his muscles tense, fingers curling around the book. His breathing was becoming restricted. Why wouldn’t they let him speak to that woman? It would have been rude to wake her but he had to know. He wanted to look into that female’s face and memorize it.

 

At least he had some idea what to look for as he traversed the public from now on. Although she had been covered with the blanket and a long sweep of fire colored hair covered her face, he knew what to look for. Maybe Ulquiorra would see her walking down the street and invite her to have lunch with him or coffee. Something.

 

With a sigh, letting his pent-up breath out in one whoosh of air, Ulquiorra turned and started his walk home. Again those feelings that he was an idiot bubbled to the surface. He had never been this careless or vulnerable.

 

The thoughts that tumbled in his brain were conflicting and at the same time disturbing. He just couldn’t put his finger on the why. Why would Ginjo say his initials like they were some profanity? Why would Urahara warn him not to play games with people? Why would he not be allowed to speak to the sleeping woman? If it wasn’t O, then there wouldn’t be any problems.

 

It didn’t take him long to arrive at the darkened apartment building dotted with the occasional lighted window. He walked up the stairs to his flat and unlocked the door. Ulquiorra placed the book on his desk and shed his coat, hanging it up by the door, along with his scarf. He toed off his shoes.

 

He felt exasperated at the events of the day and took the book into his bedroom. Ulquiorra flopped onto the bed then sat up, opening the book, seeing two pages of stationary this time. Maybe O had written him a pseudo-breakup letter. She was giving him a long apology that she wouldn’t be able to write to him any longer because she had found the love of her life and he was merely a distraction that could no longer be afforded.

 

He’d accept that. He could totally accept that news.

 

However, he was not prepared for her words.

 

Dammit, this wasn’t supposed to happen! You could not fall in love with words. They were merely thoughts! It wasn’t a person that you could see or touch! You could not fall in love with someone over songs! That wasn’t how it all worked!

 

Irritation clawed at his brain until he found himself at his desk with those pages of goldfish swimming merrily along the margins of the pages. He pulled out his normal blank white paper, not even amused that he contemplated ordering some very fancy paper just a week ago to give to O.

 

She would have to make do with boring.

 

The moment his pen hit the paper, Ulquiorra found that his ire was not at her. It was at Ginjo for putting the idea in his head that maybe, _maybe,_ he knew the secret. He knew that Ulquiorra was pining for someone who had a partner; that Ulquiorra was having inappropriate thoughts about someone who was not his; that Ulquiorra was jerking off to an imaginary person because at this point, he didn’t even know what she looked like.

 

This anger was directed at Urahara for meddling and letting someone invade his thoughts with a simple sentence; for letting him continue this farce of a budding relationship; for not giving him any information about O.

 

He was twenty-fucking-six years old. He was too old for penpals and too mature for silly conversations. She seemed so childish; so innocent; so naive.

 

 

> O -
> 
> I am glad that I’ve brought you some respite despite your troubles.
> 
> ~~I don't want to talk to you again. I saw you inside Urahara’s. I want to meet you.~~
> 
> I do like music, I thought I stated that much. I am more of a fish person ~~though I’m not really a pet or animal lover~~. I prefer to be by myself. I have no siblings. I can swim ~~and enjoy it but it’s too cold to go swimming here. When I lived in Germany, my family would take trips to the beautiful beaches of Italy and France~~. I’ve never had a cavity. I don’t drink that stuff.
> 
> ~~I would like to know everything I can know about you. I want to know what it sounds like when you laugh. I want to know what it’s like when you smile or when you sigh when happy. I want to know what it’s like to hold and touch you. I want to know--fuck I should just shut up now. I want to know if you are as beautiful as you are in my dreams. I want to know what your body is like.~~ You don’t sound presumptuous. I’m not a curious person. I prefer to let others tell me what they want me to know.
> 
> I do speak and read some Japanese, how else would I get a job in this country? I am quite aware that my song selections were erotic/naughty/perverted that was the point. I was trying to not so obviously tell you I wanted to bend you over something and fuck your brains out.
> 
> ~~You do not know the point you drive me to where I think about you all the time and I’m having a hard time concentrating on things that I have to do. Our interactions have been maddening. Do you know what it’s like to be obsessed with a person? Do you know what it’s like to be jealous of people who get to interact with you? Do you fucking know what it’s like to fall in love with someone you can’t see?~~
> 
> **Urahara is an asshole.**
> 
> I could teach you ~~the ways of the Germanic tongue. I would bury my face--Shut up Ulquiorra.~~ a few words of German along the way for however long our correspondence is maintained. Ich will Dich berühren.
> 
> Songs can be taken several different ways. It’s all in the way other interpret the songs. Idol, however, gave an interview where he said the song was about ~~jerking off masturbation~~ a certain sexual activity.
> 
> You’re still a teacher, educating others and opening minds. I am not creative in any sense and am too blunt to work customer service, so I applaud your efforts. I am multilingual. I know the most about German and English; some French and Swedish. I’ve picked up enough Japanese to be functional but have learned much more since I’ve been here ~~for six months now~~.
> 
> It did not make me uncomfortable. ~~I just know when we meet face to face because I know it’s going to happen. It is just a matter of when. I’m going to end up doing something very inappropriate, like finding a dark alley and fuck--No… just… My hormones are inflamed so excuse me.~~ I simply could relate to Ms. Phair’s lyrics.
> 
> I think I’ve already stated what your letters and the thought of you do to me. I just want to lose myself in your voice much like the Mazzy Star song says.
> 
> O, I’ve listened to every song you’ve suggested and have gone looking for some of the song selections at the nearby store called Book Off, perhaps you know of it? ~~I read every word of yours with baited breath.~~
> 
> ~~You’re single now? Fuck yes. This is music to my ears. I don't have to feel guilty about thinking about you while in the shower or in the morning when I’m laying in bed. If you’re single then I don’t have to worry…~~ I am sorry to hear of your and your boyfriend parting ways. I’m sure you’re greatly saddened by this. Feel free to take a break from indulging me with your attention if you need to take time for yourself. ~~I lied. Don’t focus on me. I could make you happy.~~ A song that might help you come to clarity about things is Jaymes Young’s “Fragments”. No matter what this person put you through, you’ve got to sift through the broken pieces of yourself and pick up what you can salvage.
> 
> If I was not interested in you I would not have wasted time and resources by writing you. My interest is genuine, I assure you. ~~I would give anything to run into you. I’ve run into you there, tonight. I think it was you, asleep in that chair. I wouldn’t be nasty to you. I’d try to make you smile. What kind of lovesick fool have you turned me into, woman? All I want is a five minute conversation snog session sex once again, my thoughts have turned inappropriate. That’s what you do to me.~~ I am terribly sorry I was such an ass to you.
> 
> _**Urahara is still an asshole.** _
> 
> It's strange that this entire thing started over the feelings of Mr. Usher, isn’t it? A hopeless fool who wanted to feel the warmth of someone’s emotions wrapping around him. I’m sorry to tell you I don’t think we could connect like that. It’s not something I believe in. I can’t see you therefore whatever we have through our words is paltry and weak.
> 
> ~~You foolish woman.~~ I thank you for your recommendations. They’re enlightening. Glycerine has been said that it’s about an abusive or toxic relationship. ~~I hope you dropped that shithead like a rock.~~  Please accept mine this time.
> 
>  
> 
> Trash Palace - Je t'aime Moi Non Plus  
>  Miyavi – Secrets  
>  The Dream - IV Play  
>  The Eels - It’s a Motherfucker  
>  Three Doors Down - Landing In London (All I Think About Is You)
> 
>  
> 
> ~~Wanting you Yours completely-~~
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> -U. C.

 

After signing his initials, Ulquiorra pulled out another sheet of paper and started writing. He would keep this letter to himself because he just needed to get these thoughts out of his head. He’d drop off Lear in the morning.

 

When he handed the book to Urahara and stepped out of the shop, Ulquiorra made his way home; his mood pleasant. When he looked at his desk upon entering, his stomach dropped. Green eyes widened in shock. His stomach boiled with nausea.

 

The white piece of paper covered with his script wasn’t there. He searched the entire apartment making himself late for his classes. Where was it? He was going to throw it into the rubbish bin as soon as he got back. Was it possible that he had included it with his other letter? He should have never answered her. Ulquiorra should have pushed her away. While walking to work, his brain teased him about the letter he had written to O, mocking him with his words.

 

Oh.

Fuck.

Fuck. fuck. FUCK.

 

He forgot to cross out a line. No, not just  _one_ line. He forgot to cross out  _several_ lines.

 

***

 

 

 

 

> To whom it may concern, and that would only be me because I'm the only one going to see this,
> 
> You're an idiot.
> 
> I don’t like her. I don’t, really. I'm not falling in love except I think about O all the damn time. I think about her when I'm asleep; when I'm awake. I think about doing things to her that I did with Nel. There is a need to fuck her. I shouldn’t but I want to. Why is this desire popping up now? I want to feel this woman. I know that sounds desperate but I am lonely. I have to admit that to myself as I sit here in the wee hours of the morning being a pathetic creep.
> 
> Fuck, I am hard just thinking about this. … Right, well.
> 
> O is okay. No, she's more than okay. She's stunning and fascinating. From what I saw of her she's absolutely gorgeous. I should have woken her up, just to confirm that it was her. If it had been someone else, I would have left. I'm still convinced it was her.
> 
> I can’t help it. I don’t want a relationship. Not after what happened with Nel. I got screwed over in the end. I’m quite content with the arrangement that we (O and I) have. That's a bold face lie because I want to meet her. I want to talk to her. I want to touch her, feel her.  Once I dreamed that I kissed her mouth and it was so soft.
> 
> From what I saw her hair is long. It’s red? Light brown? I couldn’t make it out in the dim lighting. I just want to tangle my hands in her hair and never let go. I'd run my hands through it and help her wash it. I'd brush it for her. Nel taught me how to brush long hair. I mean I know how, after all I had long hair before I moved here. But PROPERLY brush hair, from the bottom up with that boar bristle brush.
> 
> I wonder what it would be like to kiss her and hold her. Does she snore? Does she talk in her sleep? I'd like to wake up next to her. I think the first thing I'd do after kissing her until she was breathless would be caress her slowly; see how her skin color shifts. Does it become red?
> 
> I long to just meet O and take her somewhere intimate but this has nothing to do with romance. I just want to have sex with her. This isn't anything more than a school boy crush. I still don’t like her. She’s an acquaintance on paper who I happen to think about constantly. It is annoying.
> 
> Fuck, I’ve got it bad for a woman I know nothing about.
> 
> I don’t want to sleep because I don’t want to dream about her. I think about how her feet would look as I ran my fingers over them. How her legs would look parting for me. I fight with myself contemplating how soft her thighs are. I want to get her wet by giving her clit fleeting strokes with my tongue. Stop you pervert.
> 
> I bet she has a nice body.
> 
> Sincerely and planning to burn this as soon as the ink is done drying because I’m a creep,
> 
> \- U. Cifer

 

***

 

Oh.  

 

Oh.

 

As she sat in what was now referred to as ‘her chair’, the staff of Urahara Honya pretended not to hover nearby to observe her reaction.  She had been there when U. C. had dropped off Lear. She got her hands on it first. They didn’t know what had been written.

 

“Oh,” she said aloud with a fake grin.

 

“The lovers are making progress, I take it?” Urahara asked from a gap between books on the next bookshelf over.

 

“Um, it would appear so, Mr. Urahara.” She faked a laugh.  “Excuse me.”

 

She gathered her few belongings and went to her old apartment.  Ginjo had left the day before. Before they broke up, he had gotten a temporary job repairing some road fissures up in Iwate Prefecture that was set to start that day and he wouldn’t be back for a week or so.  She went to her room and gathered up all the letters she had received from U. C. She could tell that Ginjo had found them; there were tears in the creases where he had been careless. She didn’t care.

 

She put them all together with U. C.’s new letters in the inside cover of an empty journal and tied it shut.  Then she grabbed a piece of white printer paper.

 

 

> U.C. -
> 
>  
> 
> I understand you perfectly.
> 
> I too have thought about parting my legs for you.  Letting you bend me over an object and fuck me senseless.
> 
> I too have wondered what it would be like to kiss you, to feel your skin.
> 
> I too have wanted nothing more for us to hold each other through the night and wake up to a breathless morning.
> 
> I wanted all these things and more.
> 
> But not without your heart.
> 
>  
> 
> -O
> 
>  
> 
> \- P. S.: I forgot our customary song list:
> 
>  
> 
> Ben Folds Five - Song for the Dumped
> 
> Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
> 
> Moby - Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?
> 
> Childish Gambino - Heartbeat
> 
> Florence + The Machine - Shake It Out
> 
>  
> 
> \- P. S.:  Urahara and Co. don’t know.  Please don’t tell them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LANGUAGE TIMEEEEEEE!  
> Ich will dich berühren. - (german) I want to touch you.
> 
> Honya - (Japanese) bookshop/bookstore


	8. Christmas Is For Lovers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a lot of foreign language being thrown around in this chapter. As always, we've left translations down at the bottom! For any weebs that might say that we're doing things/saying things wrong... I've spent time in Nikko where COR was based. JKR has a _JAPANESE SPOUSE_ and lived for years in Yamagata Prefecture which is featured in this fic. 
> 
> Side note from JKRob: Also Ulquiorra’s Japanese is written to sound non-native, while Orihime’s is native and somewhat dialectical. /JKRob Interruptions.
> 
> As always our German was double checked by the wonderful [KSMILE1313](http://ksmile1313.tumblr.com/)!

He was screwed. He was so screwed. That’s the only thought he had for the next week.

 

He didn’t walk into Urahara’s for that time, but a letter was delivered to his post box from the place which confused Ulquiorra. He had none of their books in his possession. All the front had was his initials, written in O’s handwriting. The address was written in a different style.  His mouth was dry as he opened it.

 

When he unfolded the piece of paper Ulquiorra read those words. He must have gone over that short and sweet letter at least five times. Without thinking he left his apartment and walked several blocks to Urahara’s Honya. No one said anything to him as he stalked back to the darkened corner of the shop.

 

The chair sat empty, a blanket folded over the back of it. His mouth formed a thin line of displeasure. He went back to the front where Urahara stood. “Where’s Lear?”

 

“On the shelf.”

 

“Poe?”

 

“It’s on the shelf too.”

 

“Why did you send me a letter?”

 

Urahara smiled. “I was asked by a humble client to send a letter to whoever borrowed the Poe. She found your words troubling.”

 

“Bullshit.”

 

“Now, now, Mister Cifer.”

 

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes, then turned back to the shelf which held his beloved book of Poe. He cleaned the book out of every Post-It that he found then placed the scrap of paper that he managed to write something coherent on into the book. “What time does O come in here?” He asked the shopkeeper.

 

“It varies. She doesn’t keep a schedule, much like you. She’s a very busy woman who--”

 

“Then I’ll just wait for her.”

 

Ulquiorra sat in that comfortable armchair and waited with the book of Poe in his lap. He could smell the jasmine scent on the fabric, and he shifted in the chair several times. The warmth from the stove and the comfort of the chair made him drowsy. His eyes felt heavy, and he struggled to keep them open.

 

He had not been sleeping well ever since the beginning of November. For almost two months his sleep had been broken and filled with vivid dreams. He found himself being shaken awake by the redheaded kid.

 

“Move your ass, mooch. This isn’t a capsule hotel.”

 

“Smart ass,” Ulquiorra muttered. He looked at his watch. It was just after midnight. Fuck. How long had he been asleep? He returned to the front counter where the burly man stood.

 

“Mister Cifer.”

 

“Where’s Urahara?”

 

“He works the day shift. I’m the one who takes over at night,” the man replied.

 

“Has--Has O been in today?”

 

“No,” came the answer. It was not one Ulquiorra was hoping to hear. He put the book on the counter and tapped its cover once. “Hold this for O and only her.”

 

The man nodded, and Ulquiorra knew that as soon as he stepped foot out of the building, the book would be opened and his note read.

   

 

> O -

> In der Nähe dieses Buchladens gibt es ein Café. Bitte triff mich morgen dort.

>  Danke,

> \- U. C.

 

He wrote it entirely in German, hoping the girl would be smart enough to use a language dictionary to translate. The dark-haired man waited at the cafe, but no one showed up. He went back to the bookstore. They gave him the same answer. O hadn’t shown up. Finally, he just borrowed the book again.

 

This happened for an entire week, and when Ulquiorra was walking back to his apartment from strolling around the city, his mother called. He happened to be talking to her when he arrived at his apartment door.

 

“Frohe Weihnachten, Mother.” Pause. He laughed then said in a melodic voice. “Ja, sag dem Vater, ich sagte hallo. Ich weiß es nicht, wann ich nach Hause kommen, Ich würde gerne noch mindestens ein Jahr hier bleiben.”

 

Had he not been on the phone, he would have heard crying. Instead, he saw her. A woman. Huddled by the door of the apartment next to his. “Ich muß auflegen. Ich werde später mit dir reden.”

  
He tapped his phone, ending the call and placed it into his pocket. Ulquiorra walked closer to her as she turned her head towards him. This wasn’t his problem, so why was he getting involved? Probably because Ginjo was an ass and this woman looked like she was thrown out of the apartment. “Daijoubu desu ka?”

 

“Eh?” She didn’t bring her eyes to his face.  She didn’t want to show how red and swollen her eyes were.

 

She didn’t seem to understand him. So he asked again. “Daijoubu desu ka?” Ulquiorra repeated.

 

“Un,” she replied, blinking her bleary eyes and pressing the backs of her hands to them to stem the flow of her tears.  “Daijoubu. Sumimasen. Shinpai shinaide kudasai. Daijoubu desu. Honto ni daijoubu.”

 

His brain had to work at translating her words. Why hadn’t he paid attention when taking all those language courses years ago? “Uh, shit. Sorry. Gomen nasai?”

 

_Shit.  That was English, right?_   She looked up.  Yep, not Japanese.  “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you weren’t Japanese.”

 

Ulquiorra frowned. “Oh, it’s okay, I’m horrible at Japanese. I didn’t think you’d know any other language, but English is almost universal. Are you alright? Do you require assistance?”

 

“Oh, um, no? I mean, I don’t…” she couldn’t finish her sentence because her emotions throttled her.  She waved her hands in front of her face and looked up at him apologetically.

 

If she insisted that she didn’t need help, Ulquiorra should have just walked away and minded his own business, but he felt that he could not do that. “Uh, the man who lives here, at this door, I know of him. Are you his--” the word girlfriend almost left his mouth. He decided to ask anyway. “Sister? Girlfriend? Ginjo mentioned a woman living with him whom he helped out.”

 

Orihime rolled her eyes and barked out a sardonic laugh.  “He told you I was his  _sister_?  Nothing will surprise me anymore.  I  _was_  his girlfriend.  This  _is_   _my_ apartment.  Apparently, he thinks he can just take it from me.”

 

Ulquiorra had decided that Ginjo was the biggest  _connard_  ever in the words of the infamous Grimmjow. The shady looking guy was an entire toilet of shit. “Uh, so you’re locked out. Well, um, I’m rude. My name is Ulquiorra Cifer. I live next door. You are?”

 

“Inoue Orihime,” she nodded a small bow, unable to stop her deeply ingrained cultural habits and added, “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.”

 

“Inoue, okay. Have you talked to the landlord? I’m sure you can do something about this,” Ulquiorra said, looking at the woman. In the dying light of the day, it was hard to make out some of her features.

 

She sniffled and replied, “I tried calling but no one’s answering, and it’s after hours for the real estate company.”

 

A sigh escaped him. “Uh, let me drop my bag off inside my apartment. Um, would you--Do you want to go get something to drink? Like coffee? Do you want to get a cup of coffee with me? You look cold.”

 

She shivered and smiled through her puffy eyes.  “I hate to bother you, um, Mr.  _Urukio-ra,_ but if you really wouldn’t mind…” She got to her feet and carefully shook the numbness out of her limbs.

 

He turned from the woman and unlocked his door. He threw his messenger bag inside the door and paused. Guilt ran through him as he thought about this. This was the woman that Ginjo had accused him of having sex with? He glanced at her. She almost looked like--Ulquiorra cleared his throat and gave a small cough before slamming the door shut harder than normal and relocking it. O hadn’t contacted him in a week. He shouldn’t feel guilty about looking at or helping another woman. It wasn’t like they had a relationship, but she clearly wanted one with him. The people at the bookstore told him as much. She had disappeared on him. “Uh, Inoue, there’s a cafe close to here. Would that be okay or do you have a preference?”

 

“Yes, that place would be fine.”

 

_Where did you go O?_ Ulquiorra thought as they made their way to the street. It had snowed over the past week, leaving dirty piles of snow along the pavement. “So have you lived here long?” he asked, walking beside her.

 

“No, not really, well, kind of, I guess, now that you mention it.  I moved here after high school, so that’s what, hmmm… 5, 6 years ago?  How about you? How long have you lived here?” She glanced up at his face and gave it a good look as he looked ahead.  He had the look of someone who had seen some hardship in his life, and she felt a pang of sympathy for this kind stranger.  It didn’t hurt that his face looked like it was sculpted out of marble by Renaissance masters. She had never seen skin so translucent and bright before.  She started to feel her face warm up despite the cold and looked away quickly.

 

“Ah, I’ve been here for six months, for a job. No, it’s been more like, eight months now. It was six months in October,” he replied. “Uh, did you know Ginjo for long? I’m sorry that’s rather dickish of me. You don’t have to answer.”

 

She gave him a wide smile, “Oh, no it’s not.  I don’t mind telling you. I knew him for, let’s see, we met in April of last year,  and we started dating soon after that. He moved in with me in December of that year, so this is like a year of living together.  So I’ve been a complete idiot for a year and eight months, no wait. I tried throwing him out before, but he just won’t leave. It’s been a year and seven months then.”

 

He chuckled. “He seems like an awful man. I’ve only had a few run-ins with him, but the last time I saw him, he accused me of-- I think he accused me of sleeping with you. It was surprising news, to say the least.”

 

Her eyes bulged, and she looked at him in surprise when he informed her of Ginjo’s allegations, and a small, amused smile followed shortly thereafter.  “How could he think that? We only just met today! He was always trying to accuse me of things though. I never cheated on him. I think he was just trying to stop me from bringing up all the “friends” he had come over.”

 

Ulquiorra scoffed. He had met some of those “friends”, but he wouldn’t let this woman know. He looked over at her, and the way her head was turned made him frown. Maybe he had bumped into her on the street and just dismissed the encounter. Most Japanese people appeared very similar to him unless he studied them closely. “Surely you have friends, not the type Ginjo has but, um, what’s the word… Nakama? You must have someone you can depend on.”

 

This time she smiled sadly and looked straight ahead.  “No one nearby. Everyone else I know is either just a co-worker or Ginjo’s acquaintances.  Recently I’ve made some new friends, but I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”

 

He nodded his head. He looked up to see that they were approaching the cafe. “I’ve made a couple of acquaintances living here. I didn’t have many friends back home.”

  
It was only a couple more steps, but he couldn’t help once again feeling regret. This was the same cafe he had invited O too. She never showed up. He’d been stood up. It was nothing. He could shrug it off. Her last letter weighed heavily on his mind though. She wanted to be with him but also wanted his heart. How could he give something that he kept guarded?

 

They reached the place and, being a gentleman, Ulquiorra held the door open for her. “Please,” he said with a sweep of his hand toward the inside.

 

She didn’t know what he was doing.  Chivalry was utterly foreign to her.  She stood in place and smiled sweetly, then asked,  “Please what?”

 

“Right,” he said with a forced smile. It was everyone for themselves here unless it hurt the collective. How to explain this to someone who didn’t understand? “Uh--”

 

“Oh!   _Ladies Faa-suto_!”  she interrupted excitedly and beamed at him.  “Urukio-ra-kun is a gentleman!”

 

He gave a small chuckle at her words with a shake of his head. The way she pronounced his name amused him. “I tried to be a gentleman... I mean, yes, I try to be polite when warranted. Please, you enter first.”

 

Her grin could melt pavement.  “Thank you!” she sang, walking in first and then waiting for him expectantly just beyond the threshold.

 

He entered after her, letting the door shut behind him. “Uh, I don’t--” Ulquiorra stopped and stared at the woman. He blinked several times. Her hair completely took him by surprise. It was probably just a coincidence. A lot of young ladies colored their hair that shade from what he saw in Tokyo. Normal. “I, uh, I’ve only been here a couple of times. I normally go to another place to eat.”

 

He sounded so lame. The truth was that Ulquiorra had never really been out on a date with anyone whose culture was different from his. So this was new… Wait, this wasn’t a date. This was him just helping someone. He was merely being polite.

 

“Oh, really?  This place is great, and the waitstaff is very kind,” she said as she led the way to a smallish square table with a club chair on either side.  She gestured to one and said, “Dozo!”

 

His dark head swung around, taking in his surroundings as he sat across from the woman. She was cute. Not that he cared. Since O had come into Ulquiorra’s life, all he could think about was that any woman could be her. It was driving him to insanity. “If Ginjo kicked you out, do you have someplace to go? To stay?”

 

She knotted her brows and looked awkwardly to the window.  She bit her lower lip and blushed, before looking up at him from under heavy lashes, tapping her index fingers together nervously.  “Not exactly. I have a car, so I could sleep there… Anyway, it’s nothing for you to worry about,” she said quickly, trying to dispel the awkwardness.  

 

He shook his head. He was already involved. O always told him not to worry about whatever situation she was in too. Were all Japanese people like this; so unwilling to allow help that they much rather suffer than accept it? “Dickköpfige Leute,” he muttered. Ulquiorra sighed as a young man came up to their table. “Order anything you’d like. It’s on me.”

 

Orihime’s eyes grew enormous.  “Eh? No no no, I couldn’t accept--”

 

“I insist. Please,” Ulquiorra interrupted her. The woman had become an owner to a pile of bad news, the least she could do was accept that he wasn’t being an asshole like he’d done to O.

 

“But we just met, and I don’t want to be a burden, Urukio-ra-kun.  I would like it if we could be friends, so I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness,” she blathered.

 

This woman was testing his patience already, and he just met her. The more he thought of O, the more petulant he became. “It’s no big deal. Your circumstances would allow for this. It’s pampering or--Oh, what’s the word for it… gemutlichkeit. My show of friendliness toward you.”

 

Orihime blushed.  Furiously. “So ka…” she said under her breath, then peeked at him and said, “Thank you so much, Urukio-ra-kun.  You are very kind.”

 

“Think nothing of it,” he said with the wave of his hand. Ulquiorra looked up at the waiter and stated that he wanted a coffee. After Inoue ordered her hot chocolate, he asked, “So what do you do in your free time, Inoue?”

 

“I read a lot.  I also like to do crafty things and art projects.  I like listening to music a lot. Do you know this song?” she asked, pointing to an invisible speaker somewhere above their heads as  _True Love Waits_ by Radiohead played.  “It’s one of my favorites - but then I have a lot of favorites.  Have you ever been to Book Off? It’s like a treasure trove of inexpensive music.”

 

The lyrics spoke to him as he listened to the melody and voices combining. Thom York’s voice was unique in the way that he could make any song sad. This song though spoke of something totally different than sadness and loss. Then she spoke words that he knew. He knew where he’d seen her before. This woman couldn’t be O. “You hit me with your umbrella,” Ulquiorra stated. “It was raining that day.”

 

She sat up straighter in her chair, excited.  “So it  _was_ you!  I thought I recognized you a bit.  You are, um, noticeable. I’m sorry I was so rude that time.  It was a day I was feeling very lonely and sorry for myself, and I was kind of going around in my own little world,”  the waiter arrived at that moment and brought their drinks. He set down Ulquiorra’s first and then Orihime’s, sliding a note to her as well.  She looked down at it in confusion and then up to the waiter’s face. It was the same young man who had woken her up when she had fallen asleep there after running away from Ginjo and spending the night in a love hotel.

 

“Oh, it’s you, Waiter-san.  I hope I didn’t cause too much trouble that time…”  The waiter blushed furiously and bowed, ignoring what she said and telling them to take their time enjoying their drinks and left.

 

“You apologized that day. I heard you,” he commented before taking a sip, feeling slightly annoyed that she was paying attention to someone else. “I was in a bad mood myself.”

 

“You did have kind of a scary face that day…” she trailed off before looking up at him from the rim of her cup with a mischievous expression. She was trying to goad him.  She didn’t know why.

 

He gave her a deadpan expression. “My face is the same every day. It does not change. This scary face you talk about was nothing more than me being displeased with someone who came into my life and left just as fast. Don’t tell me it frightens you,“ Ulquiorra commented, leaning back in the chair. “What kind of music do you like?

 

Orihime shrugged nonchalantly.  She wasn’t moved by his words. “I’m not afraid.”  She gave him a demure look. “You may think you only have one face, but I’ve only spent a cumulative 35 minutes with you and already I’ve seen more than one face,” she smiled innocently and continued before he had a chance to protest.  “I like a lot of music. Recently I’ve been expanding my international music repertoire. What about you, Urukio-ra-kun? What kind of music do you like?”

 

He narrowed his eyes at this redhead sitting across from him and then raised an eyebrow after it didn’t seem like she was cowed by his glare. “I like all kinds of music. Music was one of the things I could bring from Germany when I left. It all fit on my phone.”

 

She nearly dropped her cup.  She looked spooked for a moment and then shook her head.  Yonezawa was a small city, but there had to be more than one German in it.  She had known some German students from the Science and Technology University a few years back.  “So, you are German? Farfegnugen!” she paused to laugh at herself. “Sorry, that was a really popular slogan when I was a child.  I don’t know what it means.”

 

It’d been a while since he even heard that word. O had written it down but to hear it, was… It was--Ulquiorra didn’t even have a word for it. His hand wobbled as he set his own cup down on the table. “I am German. I left Munich to come to Japan for a while.” Pausing to consider his next question, Ulquiorra looked at her closely. It had been dim in Urahara’s when he saw O. She’d been asleep and covered with a blanket. He shook his head in disgust. He was being a creep again. “What’s one of your favorite songs?” He asked in a quiet voice. “You said you like to read. What do you read?”

 

She looked down at her hands, sinking her teeth into her lower lip.  Things were getting a little too coincidental for comfort. “Me? Um, my favorite song?  It’s kind of a strange choice, do you promise not to judge me?”

 

“I only judge people who refuse to use their turn signals. I witnessed that when I visited America.”

 

She laughed nervously, “Funny you should mention America.  I like the Star Spangled Banner a lot. I don’t know why. Do you know the words?”

 

“I can’t say that I do,” Ulquiorra confessed. “Do you know them?”

 

“Only the first couple of lines. It goes, ‘oh say can  _you see,_ by the dawn’s early light~.”

 

It was most likely his imagination that she stressed the words that happened to make up his initials. It was just his brain playing tricks on him. This woman wasn’t O. She could never be O. He just wanted a face to put with a name. “What is your favorite color,” Ulquiorra asked. He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table, entwined his fingers and rested chin on top of his hands.

 

“Green.  Particularly muted greens, like pea green,” she clarified without hesitation.  “What’s yours?”

 

He closed his eyes slowly then opened them, studying her with a new clarity. “ _Du bist O_ ,” he murmured, more to himself than to her. He had to know for sure. Things were just lining up too perfectly. “I don’t really have a favorite color or a favorite song. It’s all  _nonsense_ really, to have favorites when there’s so many out there waiting to grab at your heart.”

 

_Uncanny_.  Her eyes narrowed. She didn’t catch the reference to ‘O’, or the one to  _Nonsense Songs._  The only thing she heard was that he thought it was foolish to hold something, or  _someone,_ above others.  She had had enough of men who just treated women like conveyor belt sushi; just grabbing whatever came by that looked good.  It sounded to her like Ulquiorra was a proponent of this ideology. “I knew someone - I talked to someone recently with similar opinions.  Rather like Ginjo, when you put it like that. Are you like Ginjo, Urukio-ra-kun?”

 

“I feel I must interject here. You’re clearly feeling sorry for yourself,” he said, not caring if he was indeed quoting a song. He looked at her with a serious expression. Ulquiorra was done playing this game with her. “I am nothing like your ex. Thank you for reminding me why I do not interact with people. This is why I would much rather be alone than be around other humans. People assume things about me.”

 

Orihime raised her eyebrows and looked down in such a way that could be interpreted as ‘ _whatever, nutcase’_ ,hiding half of her face in her cup and drinking it down.  She set the cup down and raised her hand, calling “Sumimasen!  Okaike kudasai!”

 

She looked down at the note the waiter had left when he delivered her coffee.  She read it, and bitter expression crossed her face. She flipped it over, satisfied that Ulquiorra probably couldn’t read it anyway, but on the off-chance that he could, she hoped perhaps he could learn something from it.  

 

The waiter scurried over with the check and a cash tray.  Before Ulquiorra even knew what was happening she opened her coin purse, laying two 500 yen coins on the plate and stood up, taking the note with her.  The waiter took the coins and left. “Well, thank you for your company tonight, Urukio-ra-kun,” she said with finality and turned, making her way to the exit.

 

Oh no. No. No. No. She was not going to get away with this bullshit. He grit his teeth, feeling his jaw ache from the pressure and followed her out of the building. “C’mon. You’re not going to say anything? You can’t say I’m like Ginjo when--” Ulquiorra paused. What the hell was he saying? He had no concrete proof that she was even the woman he had been exchanging letters with. So, he cleared his throat. “Can I at least walk you back to the building and try to make up for being an asshole? I’m not very good around people. I tend to say the wrong things.”

 

She furrowed her brows.  Was this guy serious? She looked back at him for a moment, just to see the look on his face.  Indiscernible. There was a pained sigh as she turned away again and took a step toward the apartment building.  She hadn’t looked where she was going though, and staggered a bit as her toe hit a snowbank. In her effort to catch her balance, she flailed her arms, causing her to drop the note from the waiter.  She watched it float back in Ulquiorra’s direction, landing in a puddle at his feet.

 

That was it.  She fell to her knees, reaching for it, looking entirely dejected.  She picked up the soggy memo and watched the words disintegrate in her hands as the ink bled, then let a sob wrack her small frame.  The note had read, “I’m glad to see you’re not alone on Christmas”.

 

That piece of paper was important to her, otherwise, why would she be having an emotional break down in the middle of the street. He’d glanced at the paper when the male had given it to her. He wasn’t jealous, and he didn’t know enough Japanese to read it concisely. He’d gotten the word alone. Maybe the waiter was trying to tell her to call him when she was alone. He didn’t know.

 

Perhaps he was too much of a dick at times. Maybe he needed filters. Maybe he needed to learn that thing called tact but today was not that day. “Naze kimi wa naite iru nodesu ka?”

 

He crouched down beside her and took her hand. The scent of flowers and vanilla drifted around him. He knew this fragrance, but Ulquiorra still wanted concrete proof. He needed it. “Was ist das Herz?”

 

The words must not have registered because Inoue did not look at him. “My favorite song is nonsensical,” he told her quietly as if it did not matter. It probably didn’t matter. She wasn’t O; if she were O, then she would have responded to the many hints and clues that he’d dropped.

 

Ulquiorra pulled her up as he stood. They were just sitting in the street. If they didn’t move, they’d get hit by a car or someone riding a bike. “Come, let’s get you home.”  

 

She didn’t say anything, but nodded and waited for him to take the first step before following behind.  She looked and felt like a kicked puppy.

 

Ulquiorra waited for her to walk beside him and when she didn’t, he turned around to look at her. “I apologize,” he told her. Then the German man did something foolish. He put his arm around her and guided her back to the apartment building. He kept his arm around her the entire way and didn’t care if she protested.

 

She didn’t know what to do or say; her mind froze when he put his arm around her.  Where was he taking her? Back to Ginjo? He would just throw her out again. It wasn’t until they reached their floor that she started to panic though, the dread starting low on her body rose up quickly, bubbling through her nerves in choked spurts of coppery fear.   _Ginjo would see them like this._

 

They walked up the steps, and Ulquiorra was going to unlock his door to let her in when the door Ginjo had swindled from the woman opened. The man looked absolutely livid. His eyes snapped to the smaller form he had his arm around. His heart broke to see how scared she looked as she shrank away from his touch and her ex-boyfriend.

 

“Cifer!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LANGUAGE TIME:
> 
> connard - (French, male) shithead  
> gemutlichkeit - (German) Coziness or friendship.  
> Farfegnugen - (German) pleasure of driving
> 
> **Ulquiorra's Note:** There is a café near the bookshop. Please meet me there tomorrow. Thank you,  
>  **GERMAN CONVERSATION:**  
>  Merry Christmas, Mother. Yes, tell Dad, I said hello. I do not know when I'm coming home, I'd like to stay here for at least another year. I have to go. I'll talk to you later.  
> dickköpfige Leute - Stubborn person.  
> Du bist O - You are O.  
> Was ist das herz? - What is the heart?
> 
> **THE JAPANESE CONVERSATION:**  
>  Daijoubu desu ka - are you ok?  
> Daijoubu - I’m ok  
> Sumimasen - im sorry  
> Shinpai shinai de kudasai. - Please don’t worry  
> Daijoubu desu. - It’s ok  
> honto ni daijoubu - I’m really ok  
> Gomen nasai - Sorry  
> Yoroshiku onegaishimasu is a set phrase to say when you’ve met someone for the first time. Does not translate well to English, literally means please treat me well.  
> Ladies Faa-suto- loan word used in Japanese meaning what it means in English (ladies first)  
> Nakama - inner circle friends  
> Dozo - here you go  
> So ka - I see/that’s how it is?  
> Sumimasen! Okaike kudasai! - Excuse me, check please!  
> Naze kimi wa naite iru nodesu ka? - Why are you crying?


	9. The House of Cards That Blew Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OMG, THEY WERE NEIGHBORS. THEY ARE ......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters mentions violence. It's just Ginjo being an ass.

“Hello, Ginjo.” His body hit the wall of the building with a thud.

  


“Ginjo!” Orihime shrieked, terrified.  Terrified for herself; terrified for Ulquiorra.

  


“Oh, you remember my name now, Princess?”  This time a hand came for her. It missed by inches, hitting the wall behind her with a tremor, and Ginjo lowered his stale beer breath at her face and snarled.  “You have an hour to pack your shit and leave. Anything left behind is getting torched.”

  


He didn’t back away, but turned his twisted face toward Ulquiorra, sneering, “So what’d you think, Cifer?  She’s a good little bitch, tight in all the right places, am I right?” He turned his nose back toward Orihime and sniffed her hair, then slid his eyes back to Ulquiorra, “even if all she does is lay there like a starfish.”

  


“I’ve no clue what you’re going on about, Ginjo. I just met Inoue tonight,” Ulquiorra managed to choke out.

  


“Ha!” Ginjo barked, then got his face right into Orihime’s and screamed, spit hitting her eyes and nose, “You fucking slut!  You just met him tonight, and you’re already going back to his place? Good riddance, you filthy whore,” then pounded the wall beside her head and backed away.

  


Ulquiorra was released from the grip the man had on him, and his green eyes glowered as he watched the drunk leave. Once Ginjo was out of sight, he turned toward the redhead. Eyes went wide at the state of her. Inoue was clearly in distress. She was on her knees and breathing too fast. “Shit,” he growled before unlocking his apartment door. If he were a person who liked violence, he would have gone after Ginjo. This woman did not deserve the deplorable treatment she had received. “Inoue, is there anything you want me to go next door and grab?”

  


Her erratic breathing started to slow, and as it did, she broke down like a child before him.  Her eyes opened as wide as saucers, and her mouth followed suit as unintelligible cries came from her throat, sounding not unlike an emergency siren.  Her eyes were the only part of her able to communicate to him at that moment - that he was the only thing keeping her from collapsing - and those wide eyes held his unblinkingly until her body began to shake and her mouth closed, her wailing calming into a jagged whimpering.  She was finally able to nod.

  


“You’ve got to come with me,” he said. Ulquiorra grabbed her by the arm and hauled her up for the second time that night. “You can tell me what to grab, and I’ll take it over to my place. We’ll figure out something. Maybe Urahara can--No. Nevermind. He’s an asshole.”

  


She choked out a surprised laugh.  She didn’t put two and two together though; she was too distressed to make the connection.  She looked at him with a grateful expression and nodded, letting him lead her inside. “Almost everything is mine,” she whispered sadly, aware that she was saying goodbye to most of it.

  


The door opened easily and looking around the messy space; it was apparent that this was a take only what was needed to survive case. His lips formed a thin line. “Okay. Do you have a bag or a duffle to put this stuff in? A box? Boxes?”

  


She cleared her throat.  His take-charge attitude was helping to get her head in the place it needed to be in to complete this task before Ginjo returned.  

  


“Um, yes.  Here,” she said, dumping a laundry basket full of Ginjo’s clothes on her beloved sofa.  It wasn’t coming with. She grabbed her gray afghan blanket and put it in the bottom of the basket.  “I’ll start in this room. If you don’t mind, you can go to the bedroom and start emptying my dresser?  There should also be a suitcase in the closet.”

  


He could do that. Her apartment was set up just like his, an open living and kitchen area, bathroom and then the bedroom. Small and cramped but she had made it work. Ulquiorra moved into the messy room, stepping over dirty clothing and beer bottles. He found the suitcase in the closet and a bigger bag. He threw both items onto the bed then looked around.

  


The dresser was calling his name like a siren, but he carefully packed away his hormones. This situation was something totally different. He was solely on a mission to help out his neighbor and new acquaintance. So, he diverted his attention to the desk. It seemed innocent enough. He started by taking everything off the top and putting it into the bottom of the bag he’d found, thinking he’d save the suitcase for her actual clothing. After everything was tucked into the bag, he opened the desk drawer, seeing scraps of paper, pens, and bottles of nail polish.

  


He pulled out the drawer or at least tried to. A book was wedged into the space. It took him a couple of seconds to pry it out. He didn’t mean to look in the journal, but when he yanked it out, paper went flying everywhere. Ulquiorra’s eyes grew wide as he picked up the sheets that fell to the floor.

 

> _\- I am quite aware of what I asked. It was merely a rhetorical question. I know what a heart is._  
>    
>    
>  _\- So, gullible pussycat, if you're so unhappy and so alone in your situation, you might want to change your circumstances._  
>    
>    
>  _\- You seem to think I would take pleasure in meeting a vapid, mindless person like you. I wouldn’t._  
>    
>    
>  _\- You wrote about the volatile tendencies of love and how you live with someone who scares you; it made me think of your well-being._  
>    
>    
>  _\- I’ll teach you_ ~~many~~ _other German words._
> 
>   
>  _\- I also missed our correspondence. You bring a small slice of sunshine in these rather dreary winter days._
> 
>   
>  _\- I was trying to not so obviously tell you I wanted to bend you over something and fuck your brains out._
> 
>   
>  _\- Fuck, I’ve got it bad for a woman I know nothing about._

 

All those letters. All those words. All those songs. They were sitting in his trembling hands. He wasn’t processing what was actually happening. Logic was not kicking in. Ulquiorra just stared at the letters he had folded carefully and tucked in between the pages of Poe and Lear, like some lovesick child. Had he broken them up? Had his messages and weak attempts at flirting driven Ginjo and his girlfriend apart?

  


_Fuck._

  


This woman. His neighbor.

  


_FUCK._  He mentally screamed the word in his head. He’d fallen for someone who was within his reach the entire time. All he had to do was open his eyes and look around instead of being self-absorbed in his world of Poe and rambling musings about how Roderick Usher could get a heart.

  


Had he not written those words though, he would have never met her. He heard her moving around in the next room and hastily shoved the letters back into the journal and then threw it into the bag. He didn’t bother getting anything else out of the desk. His gaze flickered over to the dresser which made him much more uncomfortable now.

  


Liar. He was such a fucking liar. The worst part? Ulquiorra was lying to himself. Hadn’t he wanted this? Maybe, but not under these circumstances.

  


He pulled the first drawer open and saw his worst nightmare. It was all of her underthings. Ulquiorra pulled the drawer out and emptied it onto the bed and continued to do this until the boxy piece of furniture was empty. What couldn’t fit into the suitcase went into the bag.

  


“Hey,” Ulquiorra called out, stomach twisting because he knew what his next word would be. If she answered, he’d accept the facts that were staring him in the face. “Hey, O?”

  


Her head snapped up.  What had he said?  _Hey, O?_ She rose to her feet and robotically followed his voice.  She came to stand in the bedroom doorway and saw Ulquiorra standing in her disaster of a bedroom, towering over a pile of her underwear.  She looked at him with a blank expression at first, studying him, trying to see something else that wasn’t apparent to her eyes.

  


“What did you say?” She whispered, her chin beginning to wobble.

  


She answered.

  


She fucking answered.

  


Ulquiorra laughed at the absurdity of this. When his laughter trickled down to the occasional chuckle, he licked his lips and replied, “Hey, O, is what I said. You are O, aren’t you? The same one who borrowed Poe. The one who was frightened of the bat. The one who isn't frightened of me? You’re O.”

  


Her mouth opened with the slowly dawning realization of what he was trying to tell her.  She tried to speak, but every time she did her breath would rush out all at once. She finally gave up and whispered, “U. C.?  You? You’re U. C.?”

  


The way she said his initials did things to his brain. He couldn’t dwell on that right now, however. “I don’t know how much time we have left, but we can discuss this next door. Are you done packing?” He asked, not looking at her. “This stuff, I think Ginjo destroyed it. There’s a bunch of clothing with rips and tears in it.”

  


“Ok,” she said, nodding and looking at the destroyed items.  She should have expected that much from Ginjo. She finally looked into Ulquiorra’s eyes long enough to see him, now knowing who he was, and despite all the hurtful things he had said to her and the demeaning ways he wrote about her, she couldn’t help the glow that illuminated her face and its accompanying smile.  U. C. Was real and standing in her bedroom. She sighed happily and said, “Right. Let’s do what we have to do!” and marched to her closet and started cleaning it out.

  


He was impressed by her enthusiasm. “I’m going to start taking stuff over to my apartment. It’ll be temporary. I’m not going to--I’ll be a gentleman. I promise.” Without another word, he picked up the bag that was full and walked out of the room.

  


She wanted to run after him, but she felt the clock ticking down its minutes.  She found another laundry basket and started filling it with shoes and memorabilia. When it was full, she ran to the kitchen and grabbed garbage bags and stashed her toiletries and favorite crafting items, important documents and CDs.  Everything had been packed from the room except her newest treasures. She turned to the desk drawer and pulled it open. It was empty. Cold fear washed over her for a split second, until her brain caught up and she realized how U. C. had figured out her identity.  

  


A small, bittersweet smile played on her lips as she said goodbye to her bedroom and her furniture.  She went from room to room and did the same, double checking that she hadn’t left anything significant behind and saying goodbye to everything else she’d worked so hard to scrape a life together with.  It wasn’t as sad as she thought it would be.

  


The last box was carried into his apartment when they had seven minutes to spare. Ulquiorra locked his door and then walked through the path of boxes he’d made, not even bothering to take off his shoes. He opened a cupboard and rummaged through it. Damn. He had no alcohol. Not that this would be an appropriate time to drink, but still, it’d help his nerves.

  


“You can have my bed. It’s through that door,” he said.

  


“I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I wanted to,” she replied in a hoarse voice.  Her eyes swept over the place. It looked like it was probably spotless before all her stuff was crammed inside.  “Anyway, I could never take it from you, especially not after everything you’ve done to help me tonight. I don’t think I will ever be able to repay you.”

  


“You are so stubborn,” he muttered. With a sigh, Ulquiorra walked past Orihime and into the bedroom. He left the door open and turned the light on. “I’m not going to do anything to you. This can be your space until we--until you can figure something out.”

 

She fought to keep her voice from breaking; she had done enough crying, she thought.  Still, she wasn’t entirely successful as her eyes became wet as she asked, “Why are you doing this for me?  I’ve done nothing to deserve it.”

  


He scoffed, then grabbed one of the pillows off the bed along with the black blanket that was there. Ulquiorra threw them into the living room. He’d sleep in his chair. It was more comfortable than his bed at times. “Do I really need a reason? You need help; I’m helping. I’m not expecting anything from you. I don’t need repayment. I’ll move your stuff in there in a while. Just make yourself at home. I’m gonna go out for a bit. Stay in here. Keep quiet and keep the door locked.”

  


Orihime nodded and said ok softly, watching him walk out the door.  She followed him, locking it as instructed, before turning back to his apartment.  She blew out a big breath, trying to calm herself, The apartment was much like her old one, but with fewer possessions.  She wandered into the kitchen to look for a glass so she could drink some water. She found what she was looking for in short order and went back to the living room and sat in the only chair in the room, curling her legs up underneath her.  

  


A bag from her bathroom was next to her, and she reached for it, pulling out a bottle of hand lotion.  She squirted some onto her left hand and started massaging it into both hands and up to her elbows. When she was done, she set it on top of the bag and wrapped her arms around herself, and waited quietly as he had asked.

 


	10. Mistakes and Regrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EIV: Had to be reminded that this was a slow burn and thus could not have them fuck like bunnies... JKR, this is so sad, play their playlist.  
> JKR: I beg your pardon? Did you just tell me to play Despacito?  
> EIV: Maybe? Wanna *CENSORED*?  
> So, yeah. I had to indulge my whims a bit. 
> 
> [ALSO FANART OF THIS CHAPTER!](http://espada-iv.tumblr.com/post/176058652347/no-one-asked-for-this-but-my-hand-slipped) In the chapter he doesn't have his 4 yet but I had to draw it.  
> [FAN ART OF THE KISS](http://espada-iv.tumblr.com/post/176984164622/omg-omg-omg-omg-slytherkins-thank-you-so)

Ulquiorra felt paranoid. He felt like people were looking at him and watching him. He didn’t like feeling like this. He didn’t like the way that uncomfortable sensation pricked at his skin like thousands of needles, poking him. It didn’t take him long to get to Urahara’s. As always, the lights were on despite it being evening hours on Christmas.

 

He pushed on the door and stepped inside the warmth of the building. “Hello?” He called out.

 

A tired voice came from the back, and the man with the striped hat sighed, looking at the intruder. “Cifer, she’s not been here. I will not tell you if she’s been here. Just drop it.”

 

“I found O. I lived next door to her.”

 

“Lived?”

 

“Lived.”

 

“Did her--”

 

A dark chuckle left Ulquiorra’s throat. “Did Ginjo murder her? No. Did he hurt her? No, not physically. Mentally, there’s a possibility of some trauma. You read our letters. You knew about what was going on; why didn’t you help her?” he shouted at the blond shopkeeper.

 

“Cifer, I’m just a shopkeeper of books. I might meddle in some ways with people’s lives to bring them together--”

 

He shook his head, unable to believe the utter horseshit this man was trying to tell him. Ulquiorra snorted in derision. “She’s out of the situation she was in. O needs a new place to live.”

 

“Do you know her actual name or are you two just calling each other by what you know?”

 

“Inoue Orihime.”

 

“Does she know your name?” Urahara looked at Ulquiorra then sighed.

 

Ulquiorra’s face was one that was not amused at that moment. “Your point? Or are you meddling again? She just needs to find a place. I have some savings; I can--Can't you help her? You let her stay here that one night, didn't you?"

 

The other man shook his head. “I have a full house, but there’s something that you’re not factoring in, Cifer.”

 

If his eyes rolled any farther, he would have seen his brain. “What could I possibly not be taking into account?”

 

“I’ve heard of Ginjo. Word out there is that he’s dangerous.”

 

He returned to the apartment with no answers. He had nothing. Urahara said he would get back to him in a couple of days. The redhead would just have to stay with him. He’d have to play house and play nice. Right now Ulquiorra wasn’t having that. The shopkeeper said that Ginjo had a nasty temper and often got into fights.

 

The man practically threw O out of her own apartment, threatening to set her belongings on fire if he found anything of hers inside. If he got jealous like a neanderthal, that was on him; not Ulquiorra.

 

***

 

Orihime had tried to stay awake but the stress of the day and the relative boredom at being stuck doing nothing caught up with her, and she ended up falling asleep in the chair.  Before she did, she got her gray afghan blanket and wrapped it over her shoulders. She didn’t wake up when Ulquiorra returned.

 

He saw her when he opened the door. Yeah, it was the same woman from that night inside Urahara’s. This was O. He huffed. Hadn’t he told her that she had access to his room? That she could sleep in there? She was stubborn, but he didn’t think she fell asleep in his spot out of spite. He was going to have to carry her into the other room.

 

It took some maneuvering, but he managed to make a wider path through the boxes and over to his chair. She was too damn adorable. He promised himself he was going to act like a gentleman. He wasn’t going to be that person in the last two letters, acting like it was mating season. He had an image to uphold as a standoffish, weird looking person.

 

Carefully, to avoid waking her, he gathered her into his arms and making sure her shoulders were supported with one and her knees with the other, Ulquiorra lifted her. She wasn’t heavy, not really. However, the blanket added bulk. He couldn’t feel her body through it anyway.

 

Not that he wanted to feel it.

 

He didn’t even want to start this mental tug of war again so, the dark-haired man turned and made his way into the bedroom. He almost stopped when he felt her arms go around his neck; that fragrance was back, and it was stronger. That jasmine and vanilla mixture triggered something in his brain.

This woman in his arms was the same woman who told him to listen to a song about masturbation. This same woman told him that she understood what he was trying to say; that she wanted to be fucked by him; to kiss him. If he wanted and he was bold enough, Ulquiorra could probably sleep next to her and achieve that goal of waking up next to O.

 

He knew her name and couldn’t even say it. He was trying to be polite. Everything in those letters could be thrown away. This wasn’t the right situation to ask if he could bend her over one of her boxes so that they could fuck.

 

He continued moving through the living area to the bedroom. With being in an agitated state, Ulquiorra wanted to unceremoniously dump her onto the bed. He didn’t. He set her gently down on the soft surface. He bit his lip as he untangled her arms from his body and then brushed some strands of hair from her face.

 

Letters were one thing but facing reality was another.

 

His fingers cupped her face. That warm floral scent overtook his senses. Ulquiorra leaned down and just before he did something stupid, like kissing her without permission, he pulled back. He stood up and walked out of his bedroom, feeling like an ass because he wanted her. She just went through something horrible, and he was thinking about sex. He really was a creep.

 

Orihime woke up a little after dawn in a strange bed, surrounded by a strange, but pleasant, smell.  It took her a moment or two to remember where she was and realize she had been moved to Ulquiorra’s bed.  She stretched and smiled. She didn’t know why she was so happy. She  _should_  feel more conflicted.  However, being on the receiving end of such selfless kindness made her feel extremely grateful.

 

After rolling around his bed and memorizing his scent, Orihime got up and quietly left the room to see Ulquiorra asleep in the chair she had used the night prior.  It occurred to her; had he been the one who carried her to bed? There was no other explanation, and the image of herself in his arms made her flush with embarrassment.

 

She stood there for several minutes, watching him sleep.  He looked troubled. It made her heart hurt. She wanted to pat his head and tell him he would be alright.  She wanted to tell him how grateful she was to have met him last night. She wanted to see if he smelled the same way his sheets did.

 

She didn’t do those things.  She took a deep, quiet breath and tiptoed to the kitchen, quietly rummaging around until she found a frying pan and some eggs.  He didn’t have much for food; she didn’t expect a bachelor to have a lot, but he had the basics. Some bread, some butter, some eggs, some salt, and pepper.  That’s all that was needed. She put some bread in the toaster and began frying the eggs, very quietly humming  _Dancing With Myself_  as she did.

 

Ulquiorra hadn’t gone to bed right away. He made some sense of her belongings; stacking them against the wall so that he didn’t trip over them anymore. When he did get to sleep, his dreams were disjointed, different colors of copper and cream swirling with black images. It haunted him.

 

He wasn’t expecting to be woken up as early as it was but his phone rang. It was loud, and the way it vibrated in his hand made him groan in sleepy vexation. He opened his eyes, vision bleary and tapped the screen. “What Nel?”

 

“Ulqui! Merry Christmas!”

 

“Shut up! Do you know what time it is?”

 

“Uh, oh. That’s right.”

 

He groaned again. “You don’t have a brain. I’m--It’s morning here. Like I don’t even think the sun is up yet.”

 

Orihime heard his voice from the next room and smiled.  She looked up to see him cradling his head and called, “Urukio-ra-kun?  Are you hungry? I’m making eggs.”

 

“Who is that?” snapped Nel.

 

“What? Who is who?”

 

“You just didn’t have some woman say your name?” Nel replied. “You whore. You sly--”

 

Ulquiorra rubbed his eyes and sighed. “Says the woman who is knocked up.”

 

He heard a beep and pulled his phone away from his ear to see Nel had hung up on him. “Fuck,” he said. Paying no attention to anything else, he flung his blanket to the side and put his phone down then stood. He forgot that he had a house guest. He forgot he only slept in his boxers.

 

Ulquiorra walked right past the redhead and went to the bathroom.

 

Orihime’s eyes nearly bulged out of her sockets as they followed the lines of Ulquiorra’s very cut torso down to his, um, _bulge_.  Her cheeks flared scarlet, and she found herself unable to look away. As he passed through she was treated to the sight of his back, which was equally impressive.  A tightness shot through her that was not entirely uncomfortable. Finally, to her great relief, he closed the bathroom door behind him.

 

“Oh shit!” she swore quietly as she turned her attention back to the eggs, which were starting to turn over-hard.  She quickly slid them off onto plates and waited.

 

He came out of the bathroom and blinked several times. There was a woman in his apartment. Not just any woman. O was standing there. He swallowed as he looked at her. The red hair was sleep-tousled, her legs defined by tight leggings and a loose t-shirt hid the rest of her body. His green eyes just happened to land on her chest, nipples outlined.

 

“What are you--You’re awake,” he finally managed to get out.

 

“I am.” She smiled, amused by him being clearly flustered.  “I asked before but I don’t think you heard me, do you want some eggs?”

 

The air left his lungs. This was the voice that Nel heard. Great. His ex probably thought he--What did it matter what Nel thought? She was pregnant and getting married. It wasn't any of her business what he was doing. Nel had sounded pretty pissed off about the fact that a woman’s voice was talking to him though. “I was on the phone. You made breakfast. Why?”

 

Orihime raised one brow, wondering if he was really awake or if he was still in that in-between state.  “Um, Urukio-ra-kun, I made it because we have to eat. We  _are_  human, after all.  Besides, I wanted to thank you for last night.  You didn’t have to do any of that. It’s a small thing, but I wanted to do something...”

 

He shook his head. Here she went on about thanking him again. Didn’t she understand? Ulquiorra was just protecting his emotions; his feelings. If something happened to O, then he’d be at a loss and would probably pack his shit and run. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, fine. I did say make yourself at home.”

 

Teeth sank into his bottom lip. He had to bite back the words he wanted to say. It would be cheap to say them in a language that she didn’t know, but at least they’d be out there. The only thing going through his head was the lyrics that were found in a cult classic film. He didn’t want to sound lame saying them to her. Besides, having Janet Weiss saying touch me in a sing-song voice, was not his style.

 

“Do you need help?”

 

She was at first put off by his reaction, worried she had somehow offended him again, but smiled at his offer to help.  “Sure! Um, I don’t know where you keep your forks or anything…” Her voice trailed off as he stood there listening to her, still half-naked.  Her cheeks once again bloomed red.

 

He missed her reaction. He walked to where he kept the few utensils he had and pulled out two forks but then hesitated. “Do you want chopsticks instead? I think I have a pair of them around here. I’d have to look. Don’t mind me,” he rambled, turning around.

 

Now he saw. She appeared flustered. All it took was a couple of steps, and he was in front of her. “Are you okay?”

 

Her mouth was suddenly bone dry.  Her nostrils flared as she inhaled sharply, and the same smell from the bedsheets overwhelmed her, completely masking the scent of eggs and toast. Her eyes closed for a moment and she felt her body starting to melt from the inside out. After a minuscule shake of her head, she opened her mouth to speak, opening her eyes and finding him staring at her.  She finally offered a breathy answer, “A fork is fine.”

 

It was the little things she did. The redness that ran across her cheeks; the way her forehead wrinkled slightly; how her bottom lip pouted just a little. He placed the forks on the counter. Ulquiorra couldn’t deal with this anymore. He spent too many hours thinking of this; thinking of her.

 

A fork would be fine?

 

 _Fuck the forks_.

 

He knew it wasn’t polite but he pushed her back against the wall, wrapping one arm around her waist and his free hand tipped her face up, so her dark eyes were looking into his. The realization that he was finally going to give in to this desire fueled his actions more, letting his thumb stroke the side of her face. He knew it was improper. He didn’t care. He didn’t give two rat’s asses that he was hard and pressing against her or that he had her pinned against a wall or that their breakfast was getting cold.

 

Tilting his head down, he brushed his mouth against hers, testing the reaction she would have before kissing her fully and enveloping her with his arms.

 

She whimpered and surrendered as her body melted into his.  She had wanted this. All the letters. All the songs. All the hopes and desires and heart-wrenching innuendo had culminated into this kiss.  She threaded her arms around his shoulders and pressed into it.

 

He wanted to chuckle at her little noises, but he was too preoccupied with sliding his mouth against hers to get closer to her if possible. The only way to do that was to be inside of her. He groaned as he moved his mouth to her neck. “O,” he whispered.

 

 _O._ Wait.  Wait. Something wasn’t right.

 

“Orihime,” she said, pulling back with a slightly worried expression, trying to find his eyes.  She had meant what she said in her last letter. She wanted this.  _Badly._ But not without his heart.  She didn’t know if this was just him itching a scratch again.  She didn’t want to be to him what she had been to Ginjo.

 

Ulquiorra stared at her at a loss as to what to say. Confusion and a bit of hurt filled his eyes. “O,” he replied. “I can’t… Just--”

 

How could he make her understand his way of thinking? Orihime wasn’t O. He had just met Orihime. Ulquiorra thought he knew O. The words wouldn’t stop, and he stepped back from the woman. “I’m sorry that was wrong of me. I told you I would be a gentleman.”

 

He turned and walked back to his chair and flopped back down into it, sighing heavily. He’d fucked up. He’d screwed up, letting his hormones get the best of him.

 

Orihime didn’t know how to feel.  She was hurt, but she didn’t know why.  She could see the conflict on his face, and it made her feel pain for him as well.  She didn’t want to break down like a baby. She didn’t have any anger. What was this feeling?

 

Content that she wasn’t going to figure it out anytime soon, she turned to the food, quietly plating the toast and grabbing some paper towels.  She brought her plate and his to the living room and stood before him, silent for a moment, and said, “I’m sorry it got cold.”

 

It got cold; that’s all she could say? Incredible how dense this woman must be. He gave a snort of laughter. “You can have it. I’m going to take a cold shower.”

 

She suddenly felt a surge of desperation.  Heart or no, it felt like she was losing him.  The thought of that made her head scream at her.   _DO SOMETHING!_

 

She set the food on the coffee table and stood up again, facing him.  Without warning or a change of facial expression, she lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it aside.

 

Her thumbs went to the waistband of her of her leggings, and she made to pull them down as well but paused, asking, “Did you want to do this in the chair or bend me over a box?”

 

She did not mean to say that.  She would regret it.

 

His mouth dropped open like he was trying to catch flies. She was naked… Okay, she was only half-naked but still. His eyes watched every move her body made. He studied every curve. He wanted to touch every part that she exposed. The boxers he was wearing were already tented, and he didn’t think he could be any harder. He was wrong. Orihime’s words hit his brain like water sizzling in a hot pan. Without saying anything, Ulquiorra stood. He didn’t dare adjust himself because it was difficult to tell what his brain or dick would tell him to do. He had to walk past her. He could do this.

 

Swallowing, he set his face into a hard expression before leaving the room and closing the bathroom door.

 

This was not going to work. There was no way this was going to work, and after his shower, he was going to talk to Urahara again. 


	11. Biting The Hand That Feeds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, there's smut.
> 
> Everyone has their own way of pronouncing his name. JKR and I both pronounce his name this way. To each their own.

When Ulquiorra stepped out of the shower, Orihime was gone to his relief.  However, there was a note on the kitchen counter:

   

 

> Dear U.C.,

> I’m sorry I offended you.  I’m sorry I was born. I’m sorry I’m being dramatic.  The fact is, I had to go to work.

> I’ll start looking around for a new place after my shift is over, but I’m sorry to ask, is it alright if I sleep here again?  I’ll come by later and if you’re not home I’ll just wait in the car. Mine is the dark green Mazda Demio in the parking row near the street, next to the entrance.  

> In the meantime, here is a peace offering:

>  
> 
> Konayuki- Remioromen  
>  Sheryl Crow -I shall believe  
>  Sarah Harmer - Lodestar  
>  ABBA - Take A Chance
> 
>  
> 
> Very truly yours,

> O(rihime).

 

His finger traced the O. Were they still doing this? Was it to keep up appearances? He looked at the note with a frown. He wasn’t sure if it was safe for her to leave but if she had to work, she had to work. At least she wasn’t here because he didn’t know if he could handle walking into his bedroom with just a towel on and her eyes on him. He would probably do something foolish, like rip her clothes from her form and have his way with the woman.

 

He dried his body off with the towel then got dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. He had a couple of tutoring sessions today but no actual classes. He’d be able to go to Urahara Honya then go shopping. He did have another person to think about, and he was sure she couldn’t survive off what he ate which was little if next to nothing. Mostly he ran on coffee, hamburgers, and the occasional bowl of ramen. Occasionally he’d splurge on sushi.

 

Ulquiorra returned to the kitchen, filling up the tea kettle and putting it on the stove. Dammit, she even washed the dishes. She was treating him like a king, and he was being an ass to her. He huffed as he looked at the spot in the living room where she had stood. Her chest was something he’d only seen in priceless works of art. Flawless skin tipped with shell pink nipples that he wanted to touch. He wanted to draw them into his mouth and suck on them like a greedy man.

 

His thoughts were broken by the whistling of the water signaling it was ready to be poured into a cup. He’d need to get another jar of coffee, so tea would have to do.

 

Picking up the mug and the note, he sat in his chair, sinking into the surface, contemplating her words. Closing his eyes, he thought back to an hour ago where he had his hands on her. He’d kissed her. Ulquiorra felt his breathing hitch.

 

What normal male would pass up the opportunity to have their way with a gorgeous woman? He could have had her, and he was being an idiot! Though, if he had fucked her, Ulquiorra knew he wouldn’t have allowed her to leave the apartment. He would have talked her into staying there with him so he could take her over and over again, giving into the body that had been tempting his dreams since that first letter.

 

So how to approach this problem? How to smooth things over with O now? Would he do the same as always? Would he put a pen tip to a piece of paper and address her as the smooth U. C.?

 

With a sigh, Ulquiorra knew what he was going to do. He’d write her a note. He’d leave her a song.

 

 

 

> Orihime

> It’s Ulquiorra, not U. C.. If I have to use your name then you must use mine. Deal? You did not offend me. I was being a gentleman. You’re in a rather vulnerable state and I have no desire to take advantage of you.

> If you’d like my number please let me know. It’d be a quicker way to communicate than writing letters.

> You’re welcome to stay here as long as you’d like.  ~~Sleep with me.~~  I’m going to be speaking to Urahara and see if he can help you with searching for a new place.

> If you need anything from the shops, let me know. I’ve already told you to make yourself comfortable.

> Peace offerings, very well then. Please feel free to listen to mine.  ~~If I was a cruel man I’d put some more explicit offerings here.~~

>  
> 
> Boys Like Girls - Two Is Better Than One  
>  Ron Pope - A Drop In The Ocean  
>  Callum Scott - You Are The Reason  
>  Collin James Hay - Can I Hold You  
>  Auburn - Perfect Two  
>  Ben Platt & Laura Dreyfuss - Only Us
> 
>  

> ~~Lusting After You~~ I hope you had a good day,  
>  Ulquiorra Cifer

 

Now the only problem was where to put the note? She more than likely locked the car. She probably drove it to work. He decided to see if the vehicle was outside. After gathering what he would need for the day, Ulquiorra opened his apartment door and scanned the parking lot. There was no green Mazda down there.

 

So he just left the note on the counter where she had placed hers. He was locking the door when Ginjo came past him. Ulquiorra stiffened but said nothing to the man. The Japanese man didn’t say a word to him. The bastard could rot in hell for all he cared. Sighing, Ulquiorra went about his day.

 

***

 

Orihime came back home after unsuccessfully stopping at all the real estate companies in the phone book.  All of them said the same thing, “Welcome, have a seat, would you like some tea?” then after she introduced herself, they were suddenly changing their tunes, sucking in breaths and talking about how it would be challenging to find a place for her, even though they were all advertising 1LKs in her price range in the storefronts.

 

When she got back to Ulquiorra’s, she was feeling a mix of defeated and anxious.  She hoped he would accept her songs and forgive her for her disgraceful behavior that morning, and she thought he probably would, but she couldn’t be sure.

 

She knocked on the door, quietly.  She didn’t want Ginjo to know she was out there, though if she knew him, he was out drinking.

 

Ulquiorra didn’t answer.  He would have to have been out himself, or he didn’t want to see her.  Either way, she told him she would wait in the car, and it was still nice and warm inside of it from her drive back from work.

 

She got in and plugged her phone into the auxiliary jack and listened to a playlist she had put together of the songs he had recommended her, and played some puzzle game on her phone for a while.  She was getting hungry. She contemplated leaving, but she didn’t want to miss Ulquiorra.

 

He was slowly walking back to the apartment building after his tutoring sessions. Urahara told him that there wasn’t anything he could do or suggest. In order for Orihime to stay safe from Ginjo, she’d have to move and the same thing for Ulquiorra. The man suggested them moving in together to be _roommates_ and splitting the cost of things, but the dark-haired male refused that idea many times over. It seemed like a risky proposition.

 

“Are you and Miss Inoue fighting?”

 

Ulquiorra didn’t answer. He wouldn’t call it fighting. They just had a difference of opinions when it came to doing things. He wanted to treat her the way that she deserved to be treated, and she probably wanted to label it a relationship. He shook his head.

 

He didn’t want that.

 

When would he learn not to lie to himself? After the discussion, Ulquiorra left the bookshop and started on his way home.

 

As he neared the building, he saw her car with her in the driver’s seat. Ulquiorra felt conflicted. Seeing her brought joy to him, but at the same time, defeat sat in the back of his mind, killing his confidence. O was different from Orihime; U. C. was utterly different from Ulquiorra.

 

He had always ran away from his problems. He’d let Cirucci go without a complaint. He had told Loly good luck with her career choice. He left without saying anything to Nel. He wasn’t a confrontational person, preferring to just go with the flow. Going with the flow this time meant speaking to the redhead. Without another thought, he walked over to her car and tapped on the window.

 

Orihime startled and then set her phone down on her lap.  She looked and saw Ulquiorra, and before she could censor herself, she smiled and waved like a cheeseball.  She rolled her eyes at herself, thinking, “ _real smooth, hotshot”_ , and turned the ignition off.  She got out and grabbed her things and realized that she had asked if she could stay, but had not yet received an answer, so the redhead just stood next to her car door after she closed it and waited for him to say something.

 

He felt like an idiot, staring at her. Ulquiorra motioned for her to follow him. “I take it you had no luck today?” He asked as they walked up the stairs.

 

Orihime’s shoulders slumped.  “No. They all rolled out the welcome mat for me initially, but when I introduced myself, they rolled it right back up.  It’s like I’ve been blacklisted or something.”

 

Of course, this would happen. Why would anything go right for him? “I don’t suppose Ginjo has connections, does he? Maybe he told some lies about you? Could he know someone in the real estate industry?”

 

“He works in construction and knows everyone in real estate and development.  I wouldn’t put it past him,” Orihime answered with a sigh.

 

This was just his luck. _Just_ his luck. He unlocked the door and went inside the apartment, kicking his shoes off and dropping his bag and coat beside the door. “Urahara has nothing except for a stupid idea which I declined to consider because it’s ridiculous. I figured since he got us into this mess he could help you out of it.”

 

Orihime laughed.  She couldn’t help it.  Was he really that blind?  She watched as his eyes met hers and she laughed even harder.  She ended up having to sit down, gasping for breath. It almost wasn’t funny anymore.  Then she caught his confused expression again, and it would start all over again. Eventually, she had to just breathe through her mouth and look at the ceiling, knowing if she saw his scowl or confused frown again, she would break.

 

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he stood there with his arms crossed. This was becoming annoying. After about five minutes of her laughing fit, Ulquiorra walked over to the kitchen where the piece of paper sat on the counter. He grabbed it and then walked over to where she sat, slapping the scrap onto the coffee table. “Care to enlighten me as to what you find so hilarious?” he finally asked.

 

“I’m sorry!” she cried, still looking at the ceiling, not daring to look at what was undoubtedly the scariest face he tried to put on.  It would only make her laugh again. “It’s just that, that you think _Urahara_ did this.”

 

“He meddled to bring us together. He told me as much,” Ulquiorra stated. “He gave you the book. He gave me Lear and then he played the part of the postman giving us encouragement and probably laughing at my attempt to woo you.”

 

He scoffed after realizing what he said. “His idea is for us to find an apartment together; split the bills. I don’t know how hard it would be to find a two-bedroom place. He mentioned there would be red tape and whatnot.”

 

When he said the word, “woo”, her heart melted.  He couldn’t take it back. He said it. It wasn’t in her head.  Still, she wasn’t going to let him blame it on Urahara. The shopkeeper had been nothing but kind to them.

 

“You are, um, _usotsuki_.  Urahara may have introduced us, but we did the rest on our own.   I didn’t have to write you a letter. He didn’t make me do it. He didn’t make you reply either.  We did this on our own,” she said, gesturing between the two of them.

 

He didn’t understand the Japanese word she said, but O was right. No one forced them into this. No one forced him to reply to her letters. No one forced him to help her. Ulquiorra decided to change the subject or at least deviate from it. “You don’t have to keep writing me notes.”

 

Orihime’s face fell.  “You mean you don’t want me to talk, I mean, you don’t…”  She was starting to feel the walls closing in on her.

 

“You are putting words in my mouth and how did you say it, “cherry-picking things” and inferring your own meanings,” he stated with a scowl. He leaned down and slid the note that sat on the coffee table closer to her. “Read this.”

 

With that, he turned away and went into the bedroom to get clothes that he would need for tomorrow. It was also to give her some privacy. He could have just agreed to what she thought, but then she’d make a liar out of him, and he couldn’t stand for that.

 

Orihime picked up the note.  She read. It was a lot nicer than what he had just said to her, but the fact that he gave it to her and told her to read it meant that he still agreed with what he had written, she thought.  He still hadn’t come out of the bedroom when she had finished reading, so she took out her phone and put some headphones on. She sat and closed her eyes, and for approximately 20 minutes, she did not move.  When the songs he had offered her finished playing, she stood up and took off the headphones, setting her phone down on the table. “Urukio-ra-kun?” she called in a gentle but otherwise neutral voice.

 

He’d been sitting at the end of the bed with his head cradled in his hands, wondering what the fuck he was going to do. Ulquiorra just sat there thinking the same thoughts over and over. Then he heard her voice and his head snapped up. He wanted to rush out of the room and talk to her, but he restrained himself. He didn’t want to seem desperate.

 

“Yes, Orihime?” he replied.

 

She had expected him to come out.  He didn’t, so she would have to go to him.  She walked to the bedroom door and knocked on the doorframe softly.   “May I come in?”

 

He looked over at her and nodded. “It’s your room until we can figure this out,” he said. Ulquiorra studied her face. “What’s wrong?”

 

She said nothing but walked over to him, and in a fluid, catlike motion, she wormed her way onto his lap and laid her face in the crook of his neck.  Slowly, she snaked her arms around his torso. Then she just sat there, settling her weight on him and getting acquainted with the feel of his body next to hers and the smell of his skin.  She wanted to know what he was thinking, but she knew better than to ask. She remained silent and still.

 

He stiffened slightly at her touch, but when it was quite clear that she wasn’t moving, he relaxed a little. This was nice. This could be something he could get used to experiencing. “What is this for O? Orihime, I meant Orihime. Why?” He wasn’t protesting her actions but merely just questioning the motive.

 

“Thank you for the songs,” she murmured, her lips touching the skin of his neck as she spoke.

 

It was quite clear that they needed boundaries for their arrangement. He’d try not to assault her in the kitchen while half-awake and half-naked. She would need to stay away from him.

 

“You’re welcome. Does this mean you want to go to the store with me?” He asked.

 

She nodded into the crook of his neck and paused at his jaw, humming, “Mmhmm,” then inhaled deeply before sitting up straight, still in his lap.  “I’ll drive.”

 

Just her weight in his lap was dangerous. He knew what she looked like under the clothing she wore. He now knew what her body would feel like on top of him. Ulquiorra wanted to experience what her skin would feel like against his. How would his pallid complexion look next to her dewy skin? It would be easy for Ulquiorra to lean forward and kiss her but judging by this morning’s activities, it would probably get out of hand.

 

“What about Urahara’s idea; the two bedroom apartment?”

 

She looked at him and tilted her head, narrowing her eyes slightly in a puzzled way.  She didn’t answer at first, then her eyes slowly trailed to her left and down. She was thinking about it.  Absently, her arms trailed up from his ribs up toward his head, finally letting her forearms rest casually on either side of his neck.  She pursed her lips and bit the inside of her cheek - humming deep in thought. Then she tipped her head to the opposite side, her hair falling away from her face to expose her neck.  She looked up at the ceiling and raised her eyebrows, finally bringing her eyes back to his. “It might be a good idea,” she said as if she had put a great deal of thought into it.

 

He watched the way her head turned and how her neck moved, entranced by this small movement. Did O know how beautiful she was? Was she aware of the state she was putting him in? “It might be a good idea,” he echoed absently. Carefully, he brought his hand up to her neck and brushed away a few strands of hair. “I think I might need to add something to my shopping list,” he murmured before kissing the spot right underneath her ear, letting his tongue flick over the skin.

 

She shuddered.  This was new. This is the kind of gentleness she had imagined that night at the love hotel; the kind of gentleness she wasn’t sure actually existed.  She gasped when his tongue made contact with her skin. Suddenly her skin felt electrified. She was nervous, in a very, very interesting way. She paused a moment, debating.  Before her mind was able to complete the argument, she turned her face toward his.

 

Pulling back he looked at her, biting his lip. “We should go,” Ulquiorra said, sounding like he didn’t care if they left the apartment or not. He paused while gazing at her, finally concluding that he was tired of being selfless. “Fuck it.”

 

With one swift move, he rolled them over so that Orihime lay on her back, Ulquiorra on top of her. His body fit perfectly between her legs, and he leaned down, capturing her mouth with his. He didn’t care. They both could starve and run out of supplies, but he would only be satisfied scratching that itch again.

 

He’d scratch it over and over if he could, digging his nails in deep just to stop it.

 

She knew she shouldn’t.  She knew this jeopardized everything, but she couldn’t stop.  She didn’t want to. She kissed him back. She ran her fingers up into his hair and felt how impossibly soft it was, and she pulled his head closer, pushing him further into her mouth. She parted her lips and sighed into his.

 

Oh, this was pleasurable in all the possible ways he could imagine, but Ulquiorra could feel apprehension tugging at his brain, telling him this was no good. He should stop. The young woman just went through hell. He was taking advantage of her. What would happen when that curtain of lust lifted? How would their actions be handled? There would be repercussions from this.

 

With a growl of displeasure, he pushed himself up, breaking their contact. “Orihime,” he said in a thick voice. “We can’t do this. You just got out of a relationship. You barely know me. I don’t know you. You want U. C..”

 

Orihime knew he spoke a kernel of truth at least, and sighed in defeat.  Still, she propped herself up on one elbow and cupped his face with her right hand.  “You… you are who I want. U. C. was often cruel and harsh. This man before me… right here in my hand, he has a heart.”

 

He would not be swayed.  He sighed and carefully climbed off of her, then stood, making sure he was decent before he turned towards Orihime. “Let’s go,” he said.

 

After they left the apartment and were settled into her car, Ulquiorra said nothing. He had a small list of things that he needed, but he scrawled one additional item at the bottom. Not that he thought it was a big thing, but condoms were going to be necessary. Nel’s stunt on his birthday cemented the fact that women could be evil. Besides, he had no clue if Ginjo had any kind of nasty diseases. If he did and then they were passed to Orihime, the green-eyed man didn’t want them. Ulquiorra blew out a puff of air and sighed. He hated thinking of her in that way.

 

It wasn’t Orihime’s fault.

 

It was her fuck up of an ex-boyfriend.

 

What was the protocol for having sex with someone in a different country? Was there something on the internet about this? Was there something in some handbook he had glossed over? Most likely because he dismissed anything that dealt with interacting with others. All he read was politeness was crucial. Sure he could insult someone in Japan, but one had to have a smile on their face and word it in such a way that it sounded like ass kissing.

 

“Where do you work exactly?” He finally asked, looking over at Orihime. “I would like to know if I ever need to get in touch with you.”

 

“Oh,” she said, surprised and flattered that he was asking.  “I work at a hobby store out on the west side of town, past Yamada Denki and York Benimaru.  It’s not close to our, I mean _your_ , place at all. That’s why I have Delilah,” she said, smiling and patting the dash of the car.

 

“Delilah?” He asked and watched as she practically petted the vehicle. “You named the car? Weird. Do you have a list of things that you need? I know with Ginjo kicking you out that you probably didn’t grab everything. If you need something, I’ll gladly buy it for you.”

 

She glanced at him for a moment and smiled.  She didn’t say anything at first. Then her foot hit the accelerator and didn’t let up.  She started to growl under her breath in Japanese and then hit the brake rather hard as the light in front of them turned red.  She reached a hand out across his chest to stop him from being flung forward, and then they stopped, and she put her hand back on the wheel and huffed out a breath and continued as sweet as pie, “Yes, Delilah.  I love my car. I love that name. Please don’t talk about that person for the rest of the day. I’d like to erase him from my memory.” She turned the radio on while waiting for the light to turn green.

 

With her crazy driving, Ulquiorra was becoming a bit frightened for his safety. She was being emotional; he could recognize that behavior. The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “I could make you forget him,” Ulquiorra said.

 

She smirked and raised one eyebrow.  “Is that a promise or a threat, Mr. Shee-faa?”

 

Shit. He didn’t mean it in a perverse way, but at the same time, he did. “Just focus on driving, O. I’d like to get to the store in one piece. It’s Sigh-fer. Sigh. Fer. Uhl-kee-orr-ah Sigh-fer.”

 

“ _So ka._  Uru-kee-ooh-la  Sai-faa. _Dou_?  I mean, how was that?”

 

“Closer but I’m not at work, I’m tired of teaching people English today.”

 

She laughed.  “I thought it was German.”

 

He rolled his eyes and then gave her a small smile. Nothing too brilliant, it was more of a quirking the corners of his mouth up. “Regardless, do you want that to be a promise or a threat? Either way, you won’t think of him.”

 

“I’ll take both.”  The song on the radio changed to a poppy beat, and Orihime’s face lit up.  “This is my jam!” she squealed, starting to move her shoulders back and forth to the beat.  As Nicki Minaj started to sing _Superbass,_ she sang along, looking over at Ulquiorra from time to time with a wide smile for emphasis.  She was visibly embarrassed but was enjoying the moment, trying to get some kind of reaction from the generally stone-faced man.

 

He raised an eyebrow at the redhead but said nothing, amused with her antics. Ulquiorra had only heard this song once or twice and it was usually in a club surrounded by people he didn’t know or want to associate with. The bass of the song made his body respond to something animalistic. However, this song reminded him of Nel. It had no association to O. “You like this song?” he asked, his tone a bit guarded.

 

"I _love_ this song.  ‘Boy you got my heartbeat running away, it’s beating like a drum but it’s...mmhmm mah hmmm,’ she didn’t know all the words and just filled them in with vague vocalizations, intensifying her seated dance moves, rolling her spine and striking the steering wheel at rhythmic intervals.  ‘“You got that boom ba do boom ba do bass,” she continued in a more powerful voice, her cheeks bright pink. She glanced at him again, and found his that his face remained expressionless.

 

She stopped singing and bit her lip to restrain herself from laughing.  She knew she had looked like an idiot but she didn’t care. “Here we are!” she announced a moment later as they pulled into the supermarket parking lot.

 

He was looking at her. O was, rather Inoue Orihime was, a strange individual. He shook his head, confused at the words she sang. The comical display _should_ have dampened his desire for the woman. What Orihime had done was ridiculous. At the same time, her carefree attitude showed Ulquiorra a different side that O had not previously shown him. He waited until she shut off the car before he turned to her. “Woman,” he murmured.

 

“Yes?” she asked, her eyes bright in the dim light and a shy smile still playing on her lips.

 

The car wasn’t _that_ big, so Ulquiorra didn’t have far to lean over, brushing his mouth against hers. The words of the song and her voice singing in almost perfect English had pushed the lustful emotions to the front of his thoughts. He always did have a passion for people who could speak a second language perfectly. Plus the remnants of sexual memories from his ex-girlfriend didn't help. Ulquiorra could remember fucking Nel to that song _once_. Being in this car with O, he felt like a man being driven insane with longing. He brought his hand up to the side of her neck, tilting her head just so that his lips meshed easier with hers.

 

Well, this was not quite the reaction she had anticipated but she was happy to accept it.  She didn’t resist as he pressed his mouth further into hers, and parted her lips for him slightly, letting her tongue taste him.

 

He’d been warm but now Ulquiorra felt hot. Ulquiorra wanted to tear her clothes off because she was hiding what he craved. He wanted to drag her into his lap. Her tongue on his lips made him growl and he slid his hands into her hair to hold her how he wanted. When he felt that she wouldn’t move, one hand traveled down to the hem of her parka, slipping underneath the bulky coat. He wasn’t going to listen to his brain at the moment. He wasn’t going to listen to his heart. He was going to listen to that red demon that had taken over the blood in his veins.

 

She wasn’t helping matters.  He parted his lips and sighed into her mouth, and she took it as in invitation.  Her tongue to meet his. She brought a palm to his chest, under the lapel of his coat, then curled her fingers slightly, her nails to scratching a path over his shirt to the base of his throat and finally make contact with his skin. She broke their kiss then for a moment, looking for his eyes in the darkness.

 

Ulquiorra looked at her with heavy-lidded eyes. His hands wanted to pull her closer but he could tell she wanted something. Was it a question? Did she want to say something? Did she want some kind of declaration? “What Orihime?”

 

She narrowed her eyes.  She didn’t want him to see how startled she was by her own actions; letting herself get carried away and enjoying every moment of doing so.  She took a slow, deep breath, releasing it heavily through her nostrils. “ _Nandemonai_. It’s nothing.”

 

If it wasn’t anything why did she stop him? Why did she break their kiss off? He was finally accepting this desire for her and she slammed the brake down on it. Ulquiorra pulled back, untangling his hand from her hair, and gave her a nod. Did she think doing this with him was a mistake? “It’s something but if you wish to keep it to yourself, then so be it.  But if you’d like “both”, I can make that happen, perhaps. We’ll see. Come, I’d like to get back home.”

 

“Yes sir,” she answered with an exaggerated sigh, pretending to be petulant.  In honesty, she needed a moment to gather herself before things got out of hand.  

 

She didn’t regret it though, she thought, looking down at her lap and smirking. Reality was starting to break into her consciousness in small but increasingly larger waves.  She brought a hand to pull a strand of hair behind her ear as her smirk widened into a small grin. They were actually doing this. Her. Him. O and U. C., had been making out in her car in a grocery store parking lot. Just yesterday he was nothing more than words on a page.  It was unreal to her. She was becoming giddy. She peeked at him from under her lashes and blushed, laughing a silent giggle and then looking back at her hands. Her _naughty_ hands, she thought, trying not to squeal.

 

Sir? She was mocking him. She had to be. Ulquiorra rolled his eyes, already exasperated by the woman’s behavior. She was toying with him. She was teasing him. Well, he could tease right back. “Are we going inside or should we just go back to the apartment?” He asked before he opened the car door.

 

Orihime watched him get out and close the door, slightly too hard, behind him.  Oops, she had clearly touched a nerve. She got out of the car and came around the front of the car, her eyes still sparkling with just enough self-awareness to appear less than innocent.

 

He saw the naughty glint in her eyes. She thought she could outdo him? Hardly. Ulquiorra had learned how to subtly turn someone on from some of the best whores in Germany. “Tch, keep it up Miss Inoue. I’ll give you an answer to your question from this morning,” he said, raising the corner of his mouth in a half-assed smirk. If she didn’t know what he was talking about, that wasn’t his problem.

 

She covered her mouth with her hands and acted like she was blowing into them to warm them to disguise a little squeal.  She didn’t much care if he heard it but she doubted he could. After she got over her girlish outburst, she dropped her hands and looked at him with a somewhat haughty expression, asking, “Well I expect I will learn the answer one way or another in short order, shan’t I?”  

 

She knew she could not keep this charade going for much longer. His gaze was molten and she was aware that she was playing with fire.

 

“Go,” he demanded, pointing to the building. At this point, Ulquiorra was completely vexed to the point it made him clench his fists. All he wanted to do was bury himself in the woman. He wondered what would happen if Ginjo heard him making her scream. “I’ll be right behind you.”

 

She grinned and squealed without self-censorship as she hustled ahead.  This was fun, she thought, just learning little quirks about one another and _trying_ to accomplish mundane tasks.  With him -- with Ulquiorra, not U. C. -- her world felt bigger than ever.  She took a deep, centering breath, to dispel the sexual tension surrounded her, then smiled to herself and hummed _Hey There Delilah_ as they walked into the supermarket.

 

He caught up with her, making sure he was behind Orihime. Ulquiorra knew he was walking a dangerous line as he put his mouth against her ear and whispered, “Maybe we should just go home then I can bend you over my desk, or maybe my chair. Or I could fuck you on my bed?” He glanced around before gently and discreetly biting her earlobe. Ulquiorra calmly pulled away then went to find the items on his list.

 

Orihime shivered, and not because of the cold.  “Ecchi,” she scolded. “You are older than me. Be careful, or you’ll earn a new nickname.”

 

He stopped walking and turned around to look at her. “I think you just called me a pervert, did you not? Is that my new nickname?”

 

“ _Chigau yo._ ** _Eroyaji_ **.”

 

“What is that? What is eroyaji?”

 

“Dirty old man,”  she giggled and scooted ahead after she said it.  She knew she was asking for trouble.

 

Ulquiorra merely raised an eyebrow and stared at Orihime with a blank expression. “You know, I’m not against fucking you in your car, O. I can show you how much of a... Dirty. Old. Man. I can be.”

 

Orihime’s body trembled at those words and an involuntary pulse knocked somewhere between her thighs.  She cleared her throat and swallowed hard. “Noted.”

 

The couple went through the store, Ulquiorra picked up things he needed, mostly premade food and meat because he wasn’t home all that often to cook. Plus, he really didn’t know how to make a lot of homemade meals. He’d give anything to taste his mother’s chef's cooking.

 

He kept looking down each aisle as if looking for something specific. “This is--It’s stupid. Where the hell would they put them?” He grumbled.

 

“What are you looking for?  I could help you find it.”

 

He looked over at the redhead. “Condoms,” he stated matter of factly. “They sell them here, right?”

 

Orihime looked horrified.  She approached him closely and hissed, as if anyone could understand them anyway, “You can’t buy those here!  There are children and grannies present!”

 

“Why can’t I buy them here? It’s something everyone needs. And who cares if there are children and old ladies present?” Ulquiorra asked. “So where do we go to buy them? Obviously, I might need them.”

 

She looked at him with a wounded expression.  “Why?” She gathered a bit of courage and asked, “Do you think I’m dirty?”

 

Ulquiorra had been hoping to avoid this conversation. He really didn’t want to have it in the middle of a store either. “No offense but you did sleep with Ginjo,” he replied and looked away from her.

 

“Hmpf!”  She marched over to a display of sanitary napkins and started piling them into his shopping cart, bringing each package down to the cart in an animated arc, pausing mid-air for dramatic effect and to attract as much attention from onlookers as possible.  She wanted him to feel as embarrassed as she did.

 

“Do you honestly need this many? We don’t even have the room for this many packages.”

 

She made a disgusted noise and started returning the items to the shelf.  “No, I don’t need any of them,” she said with a little pout.

 

He raised an eyebrow at this news. “Are you already pregnant?”

 

She swung her head around like she was trying to break her neck.  “What!? No! Why would you even think so?” She paused and shuddered, doing a little gross-out dance.  “The world doesn’t need a mini Ginjo running around. Yuck. Thanks for that image.”

 

“I’ve had girlfriends before. I’m not some virgin or priest or monk. I’m quite aware of what goes on with people’s bodies. If you don’t need them either you’re pregnant or you’re already on some kind of contraceptive,” Ulquiorra answered. “And I agree, hopefully, your bastard of an ex doesn’t breed.”

 

“Why would you assume the worst though? Geeze.  Yes, I’m on birth control. I rarely if ever have a cycle.”

 

This made his mouth go dry. She was on birth control. That meant if he chose to do so, he didn’t need to get condoms. He could have-- “When’s the last time you were tested for an STI? Ginjo could have some nasty disease.”

 

She blushed and looked down at the ground uncomfortably.  She just shook her head.

 

“Then I need condoms,” he said. With a sigh, Ulquiorra touched her shoulder. “It’s not that I don’t trust you or that I think that you have something, O. I don’t know who Ginjo had sex with or could have contracted.”

 

“Fine.  But we’ll stop somewhere else on the way home to get them, ok?  I don’t want people to see us buying them together. It’s not that big of a town.”

 

“Orihime, people have already seen us together.”

 

“That’s not my point,” she paused here, considering her words, “I don’t know how it is in Germany, but here if people see a young woman buying condoms at a supermarket they either assume she is married or a prostitute.”  She looked at him then, imploring him to understand.

 

He sighed, “Technically, I’m buying them. I’m a foreigner, and maybe I need help? But whatever. Let’s go; I’ve had enough of being in public today. ”

 

She blew out the breath she was holding, not really satisfied with his response but glad he relented. She led the way to the cashier, and they finished their transaction and brought their purchases back to her car.

 

Just as she was about to get into the car, Ulquiorra stopped her. He pressed the front of his body against her back. “Does it bother you that much?”

 

She was breathless.  “Does what?” Her body was already responding.

 

“Does it bother you that I won’t fuck you raw?” His mouth was close to her ear when he said it.

 

She whined a little whistle of a whine in the back of her throat and her back arched ever so slightly.  She only nodded her response, then whispered, “Nama hou ga ii yo.”

 

He wasn’t going to pretend that he knew what she said. “Mmmm,” he murmured and walked to the other side of the car. “Let’s go.”

 

This time she whined in earnest and got in the driver’s seat.  She drove out of the parking lot in silence, but instead of going north toward their apartment, she turned south toward the mountain.  

 

He knew that this was not the way they came and he looked over at the woman driving the car. “Are we going somewhere else?” Ulquiorra asked her.

 

“Yes, we have one more errand.”  She continued to drive, up the foothill, almost halfway to the ski hill.  There was nothing out here. Nothing but snow and monkey crossing signs, and the occasional vending machine with a mysterious power source.  They passed several such clusters of vending machines when she finally pulled over. It was completely dark where they were, apart from the light from the machine, her headlights, and the stars, which shone brilliantly at this elevation. She opened the door and stepped out.

 

He watched her as she got out of the vehicle. Ulquiorra could think of two things to do out in the middle of nowhere. One was possibly good, the second, not so much; sex or murder. He could stay in the car and see what she was going to do, but curiosity got the best of him. He opened his door and got out too.

 

“Why are we here, O?”

 

She gestured to the vending machine.  “You wanted to buy condoms, here you go.”

 

“You don’t want me to use them.” He stepped closer to her.

 

She sighed.  “It’s not really up to me, is it?” She said, “Besides, I don’t want to make you worry, “ she added in a small voice, looking down at her fingers as she tapped them together at the tips in an embarrassed gesture.

 

He bit his bottom lip, letting his teeth worry the skin. Ulquiorra took a deep breath then exhaled loudly. Why was this even an issue? He thought that was how things were done here. Safe sex was everywhere, wasn’t it? Orihime had said she was on birth control; he didn’t think she would lie about something like that.

 

Bringing his hands up to his face, he ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s not up to me. It’s a common courtesy thing. I assumed you wouldn’t want to do that.”

 

Why couldn’t she understand his position? Why did she need to press this issue? He quickly backed her against the car once again and brought one of his hands to lift her chin. Maybe he could make her understand. “I’m not saying no, just trying to minimize complications,” he murmured. “I want you, O. Don’t think that I don’t because I do. I want to fuck you. I want to be inside of you.”

 

Her core was throbbing at this point.  How much was he going to torture her? Every move he made was like it was set to some sexual rhythm that made her lightheaded and weak in the knees.  She had felt the tension between them growing all evening. “Then buy something.”

 

It was unfortunate for Orihime that he wasn’t wearing gloves, but it was in Ulquiorra’s favor. He had his hands under her parka and her sweater, caressing the skin of her stomach with chilled fingers. Each touch he made on her skin covered a larger area than the last. “Yes or no, Orihime? Yes, you want me to fuck you without one. No, I’ll buy it.”

 

She hesitated a moment and let her eyes find his.  His cold hands had been fire on her skin. Her inner muscles were already quivering and wet for him.

 

She wanted him.

 

Her silence was enough for him. Ulquiorra’s hands cupped her breasts, letting his thumbs slide over the curves. He bent his head enough to kiss her, prodding at her mouth with his tongue. They were going to do this. She must have known she already had his heart. She said as much back at the apartment.

 

She couldn’t believe this was happening.  She parted her lips and gasped for breath, getting just enough before letting him in.  His tongue was strong and solid, tasting sweet.

 

He was aggressive, taking everything that she was giving him. He could hear the whimpers as one hand snaked under her bra, gently pinching the sensitive nipple he found there, waiting for attention. The other hand traveled down her torso, peeling the fabric of her leggings away from her skin. Ulquiorra groaned with need as he came in contact with the soft fabric of her panties. Slender fingers pushed the delicate material to the side, and he broke the kiss momentarily, looking at her. He would not be rude to not ask for consent. “Orihime? O?” he questioned.

 

“Please,” she breathed, her thighs parting to make room for him.  She angled her hips just enough that his fingertips brushed her skin.

 

That’s all he needed. Using the side of his thumb, he tenderly pressed down at the top of her nether lips. He was going to be slow and torturous about this, milking for her every drop of pleasure he could get from her. His fingers slid against her skin, parting her folds, relishing the way her breathing seemed to stutter and how her hands grabbed at his coat.

 

Ulquiorra softly chuckled as he used one finger to dip into her, hearing a whine leave her throat. It was needy and desperate almost. He tilted his head down, latching onto the side of her neck, mouthing the skin and letting his teeth graze the flesh.

 

Orihime had never been touched like this before.  From his lips on her neck to his finger now within her, her entire body vibrated.  Then he pushed his finger deeper and slowly pulled it almost out. So slowly it felt like he was being suctioned back in.  

 

She had been so aroused by the time they left the supermarket that his prior touches, although greatly appreciated, were not necessarily to aid his current endeavor.  This was heaven.

 

Fuck, she was tight. Ulquiorra sucked lightly on her neck before he brought his mouth up to kiss her. There was a reason he did this, and it was to muffle any sounds she made as he let a second finger slip into her wet core. He wasn’t disappointed. He knew he was being deliberate because he had never heard these sounds coming from the apartment next door. It could have meant anything but mostly that Ginjo sucked and didn’t care about his partner’s wellbeing.

 

Ulquiorra did. He wanted to hear and see how the person he was pleasuring would squirm with delight. He enjoyed touching and bringing his lovers to that pinnacle of orgasm to where they clawed his back and screamed his name. He couldn’t wait to get her into an actual bed. He pulled away from her slightly. “You remember the letter I wrote, addressed to whom it may concern? I have dreamt about how you taste. I’ve dreamt how you would feel under me. I’m just not going to fuck you Inoue Orihime. I’m going to make every inch of your body mine.”

 

Orihime was done for.  It took what little hold she had left of her sanity not to declare her undying love for the man inside of her right now.  Her bow was wound tightly and ready to snap at any moment, and yet he played her instrument like a prodigy, knowing just how much tremolo, vibrato, crescendo and decrescendo to use to bring the entire piece to completion.  She forced herself to find his eyes, and when she did, she saw the look of a man who knew exactly what he wanted and how to do it. She cried out into the winter night as he plunged his fingers into her again.

 

All he did was bend his fingers slightly, so they rubbed against that one spot. The way she clenched around him told him a lot. He couldn’t wait to be inside of her, bare with her slick skin gliding against him, experiencing the way she rippled. “You’re gorgeous like this,” he said to her as Ulquiorra continued to touch Orihime, riding out the orgasm she was enduring.

 

She gasped for air desperately as her passage contracted around his fingers and she could feel her fluids soaking his hand.  She collapsed against his chest and held on for dear life as she panted, one aftershock after another causing her entire body to jerk.

 

Ulquiorra held her tightly as he backed off the caresses before slowly easing his hand out of her body and leggings. He brought his hand up to his mouth and licked his fingers, tasting the results of her orgasm. It had a faint flavor that he could only place as melon which was divine against his tongue. When his hand was clean, he looked at her. She appeared worn out. “I think we can go home now,” he said quietly to her. “Maybe when we get there, you should rest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> usotsuki - Liar  
> Chigau yo. - You’re wrong  
> Eroyaji. - Dirty Old Man  
> Nama hou ga ii yo. - Raw is better, you know.


	12. Taking The Trash With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 8/21 - TODAY IS FANFIC WRITER APPRECIATION DAY according to Tumblr. 
> 
> EIV: I appreciate my favorite fanfic writer. I mean I'm writing a fic with her. :D *waggles eyebrow at JKR*  
> JKR: *BLUSHES* Shut up.

 

Neither of them said anything to each other. At least Ulquiorra didn’t say anything to Orihime about what happened on that secluded mountain road. When they arrived back at the apartment and carried their bags in, he put things away while she went into the bedroom. He sat in his armchair, reading from Poe’s stories about fools and their dark demise. When he got sleepy, he pulled the blanket over him.

 

He woke before the redhead and made sure he was out of the house. Was he avoiding her? Somewhat. He had to deal with his thoughts and feelings before he could even begin to contemplate how she was dealing with this. Walking the streets of the town, he looked at the shops and stores, vendors trying to make a living in this backwater area in northern Japan.

 

It was like this for the next couple days.

 

He’d sleep in the chair. He’d get up and go teach his classes or walk around. Sometimes he’d visit the Honya and talk with the employees there. He tried to stay out as late as he could, only having minimal contact with O.

 

She would smile at him, gazing at him fondly with lovesick eyes. His face remained impassive as ever but when he got the chance to study Orihime, he noticed his heart would beat faster and his mouth would go dry. He never felt this with Nel. He didn’t feel this level of intensity of emotions with his former girlfriend.

 

The memories of that night burned in his brain. How her cries filled the night air replayed in his ears. How she looked with her head thrown back flickered behind his eyelids when he tried to sleep. He could still feel her wrapped around his fingers. He could still taste her on his lips.

 

This wasn’t a hasty decision to make. Ulquiorra was being a gentleman, giving Orihime space, just in case she thought their mountain tryst had been a mistake. He could tell that she didn’t think so and that she wanted more. Not just orgasms; she wanted more from him and he wasn’t sure if he was going to commit to it. He’d be an idiot not to. She made him food. She cleaned his apartment, although he never asked her to do any of that. Orihime merely said it was thanks and payment for helping her out.

 

On the day before New Year's Eve, he made his decision as he walked through the door that afternoon, deciding not to prolong the conversation any longer. He knew exactly what he would tell her. When he walked through the apartment door, she was on the phone, talking animatedly to someone on the other end. She had the biggest smile on her face.

 

She was speaking rapid Japanese.  He couldn’t really follow what she was talking about except that whatever it was made her very happy. He sighed and shut the door harder than he should have. He watched as the noise didn’t faze her. Ulquiorra took off his shoes and coat and walked towards the woman, putting his hands on her waist and turning her around.

 

“I take it that smile isn’t for me?” Ulquiorra said, looking at her face and then the phone she had pressed against her head. “We need to talk, O.”

 

“I’ll call you back later, ok?  Sure. Bye.” She said to the caller and pressed the end button.  The smile on her face melted away. “What is it?” She asked in a timid voice. She knew he had been avoiding her, and she wasn’t sure why, but she knew her pushing him was not going to help, so she had given him his space.  Now she was starting to second guess herself.

 

“Who was on the phone?” He didn’t mean to sound so blunt but feelings of envy began to take root as soon as he saw her face that carefree and happy. She had looked at him like that before but over the past couple days, the brightness of her smile had dimmed.

 

“An old friend from high school,”  she said, obviously walking on eggshells.

 

“Mmmm,” he intoned. He pulled her closer to him. “We need to talk about the other night. I’ve been a closed off asshole the past couple of days; I needed time.”

 

She nodded.  He needed to be the one to close the distance, not her.  She had been patient.

 

“Is this old friend, a boyfriend?” Ulquiorra asked. He tried to mask the jealous tone in his voice.

 

She giggled just once, “No!”  She denied as her cheeks colored.  “He never knew I existed.” She said it as if it should ease his mind.

  
He bristled at her words. “But you knew he existed. If he was just a friend, then why are you so happy? Is he coming here for a visit? Did he just tell you that you’ve inherited a mansion in some exotic country?”

 

Orihime’s brows wrinkled in confusion.  What was he talking about? She thought he was going to talk about their mountainside rendezvous, but now it seemed he was changing the subject.

 

Ulquiorra sighed, trying to calm himself. “O, what happened on that road… It was,” he trailed off unable to think of the word he wanted to say.

  
She sighed.  She let her mask slip, and although she didn’t express it specifically, disappointment radiated off of her in waves.  “It was what, Urukiorra?”

  
He could see her face and just for an instant, he knew she was going to interpret his words wrong. A feeling in his gut told him that something bad was going to happen; maybe not bad but this feeling of dread wasn’t a good thing. “It was abrupt. It was um, not intimate. Non-romantic,” he finally said. When he needed the English language the most, he was left floundering for words.

  
“ _Mou ii!_ ” She said as she stomped away.  Before she got to the bedroom, she turned around, her hands tightened into fists by her sides and her face beet red.  “It felt pretty intimate to me, Urukiorra!” she shouted, before turning back into the room and slamming the door,

  
She left her phone in the living room, but she knew going back out there would have made her entire temper tantrum look even more ridiculous, and she was feeling ashamed enough as it was.  She just curled up into the bed and moped.

 

He plopped down in his chair with a sigh. This wasn’t how he pictured this encounter going. In his mind, she would have been happy to see him walk through the door. He would have taken her by the hand and led her into the bedroom where he would have made good on his promise to her.

  
Just seeing how happy she was talking to someone from her past made him irritated. It displeased him. Maybe she had been talking to Ginjo and just said it was an old friend. Perhaps, she was figuring out logistics of meeting up with her former lover for a tryst. He sat there for a good hour when he heard a phone ringing.

  
It wasn’t his phone. It was tucked into his back pocket, silent. He looked at the coffee table where Orihime’s phone was. It was funny because they hadn’t exchanged phone numbers yet. With a dark look, he leaned forward and picked up the device and looked at the screen.

  
  
He had no clue what the characters said. However, he did know how to answer a phone. “Hello?”

 

There was silence before he heard something that sounded like someone who was angrily gargling with marbles on the other end.

 

“ _...Dare- machigatta, ano…_ Who the hell is this?” The voice finally mustered a surprised shout.

 

“Who the fuck are you?” Ulquiorra asked. His tone was completely hostile. “Why are you calling this number?”

 

“Where’s Inoue?  Why are you answering her phone?” The voice sounded genuinely worried.

 

“I’m answering her phone because I’m the one having sex with her,” Ulquiorra stated loudly. He was letting his emotions run rampant. “Why are you calling her phone? Who are you?”

 

“I’m her friend, fuckwad.  You’re not Ginjo.”

 

So she had been talking to Ginjo. Just the thought made him snort in disgust. “No, I am not that pig. Who are you exactly, shithead? Maybe you want me to give Inoue a message?”

 

His questions were sarcastic.

 

The caller actually made a huff of relief.  “Well, I’m glad that guy is out of the picture.  Still, you’re avoiding my question! I’m Kurosaki Ichigo and Inoue is my friend, so fuck off.”

 

“You fuck off. Why are you calling her phone? I get to ask these questions since I am here with her. Were you setting something up? Meeting each other?” He had no control over his words, that’s how mad Ulquiorra was.

 

“Dude!  What the hell is wrong with you?  You act like you are her husband or something.  Last I heard she’s still available.”

   
The dark-haired male sputtered. “Is that what she told you? That she’s available?”

 

“Don’t put words into her mouth, asshole.  She said she likes someone but it’s all “up in the air right now”,” he said in a sing-songy mimicry of her voice.  “As far as I’m concerned, that’s fair game.”

 

“Well then have at it, twat. You could have had your fun with her but you were too busy ignoring her!”

 

Orihime could hear what was going on in the next room and had had enough.  She came stomping out the door with tears rolling down her cheeks. She paused when she reached Ulquiorra and took the phone from his hand, turning it off.  She whispered in a shaky voice, “I mean so little to you?” before running toward the door. She picked up her purse and keys and she was gone.

 

Ulquiorra didn’t chase after her either.

 

***

 

Orihime drove for hours that day.  She drove up the mountain and stopped at the condom machine.  In the light of day, she saw the phrase _STOP THE AIDS!_ splashed across the side in bold hot pink lettering, and she would have laughed if she wasn’t so completely devastated.  She went a bit higher up the mountainside to the lookout point. It was barricaded off due to snow. She drove back down the mountain.  She drove around town. She tried to listen to his songs but each time it made her want to put her hand through her chest and pull her heart out, so she mostly drove in silence.

 

It was late when she finally surrendered and stopped at Urahara’s.  She was ushered in and vaguely, briefly, explained that things weren’t going well and she did not feel comfortable there anymore.  She was offered her chair and some tea. She asked for a notebook and writing utensil. She was provided with these objects and then the staff of Urahara Honya closed shop for New Years and gave her some privacy.

 

The first thing she did was walk around to the rack of poetry and pulled out _Nonsense Songs._ She flipped it open to _The Owl and the Pussycat._ She tried to read it but she didn’t get past the first stanza.

 

She returned to her chair and wrote.  She wrote and wrote until her hand was cramping.  Then she slept.

 

The next day was New Year's Eve.  She had no friends or family to call on, and politely declined Urahara’s offers to join them.  She sat alone in the darkened bookstore and drank tea and ate nothing. She wrote.

 

On New Year’s Day, she received phone calls from all her friends.  Ichigo had spent the most time speaking with her, trying to convince her to come to Karakura and see him and Chad, and asking questions about “the asshole” that picked up her phone.   She dodged his questions and declined his invitation.

 

He told her he had been looking up Yonezawa and saw that there was an annual snow lantern festival at Uesugi Shrine in February and that he and Chad were thinking of coming up and paying her a visit.  

 

She was not as pleased as he had hoped, although it did make her chuckle for a moment when she asked, “So, are you and Chad a couple now?”  He denied it several times and sounded offended by the very idea. They left the topic of visiting Yonezawa unsettled.

 

She waited until late at night and went to a shrine.  She did not stop at any vendors or get her fortune for the year.  She made an offering at the shrine and prayed. She returned to the bookstore and wrote.

 

Much of what she had written made little sense.  Some of it wasn’t even words. Some were doodles of bats and cats and hands stretched out to grasp at illusions.

 

She had used an entire page trying to write Ulquiorra’s name properly in katakana.  He had never shown her how it was written officially, so she didn’t know. When she had finished that page, it got crumpled up and thrown into the wastebasket.

 

On another page, she had written song lyrics.  She had actually written several pages out of song lyrics.  She had several pages of lists of songs.

 

She had pages of her own name written beside his.

 

She had a page of her first name with his last.

 

On the bottom of that page was written, “Delilah Cifer”, encircled with a heart.

 

Then, of course, were the pages upon pages of letters to Ulquiorra that were started and never finished, or finished and discarded.  

 

She hadn’t slept much.  She had gone through two and a half memo pads.

  
***

 

Orihime didn’t come back that day. Ulquiorra would have known. He waited for her. She didn’t come back the next day or the next. She didn't have his number so she there was no way she could call him by the fourth day to say she was okay. It was looking pretty bleak. Losing his temper was never a good thing and he rarely unleashed it on anyone. He became irrational, lashing out at anyone who crossed his path.

  
  
He should have never answered Orihime’s phone. He wasn’t her boyfriend. He wasn’t her fiance. He wasn’t her husband. He had no claim over her and here he was insulting her friends. He was acting like a caveman waving his club around should anyone look at his kill.

 

All he had that tied him to the redhead was an impromptu fingering session out in the middle of nowhere. Well, he still had her belongings. They sat in his bedroom, collecting dust and cluttering up his space. He tried to push her out of his mind but it was hard because he had constant reminders of O.

  
  
A sweater in his laundry. A pair of panties that didn’t quite make it into the basket, not to mention all the bottles in his bathroom of floral vanilla warmth that drove him crazy.

  
  
He knew she had nowhere to go. The only place that she could be was Urahara’s. He’d been reluctant to even discuss options in helping her. He still had the Poe Anthology. It should have been returned days ago. He didn’t have the heart to walk past the place. He didn’t want to see her green car sitting on the street. It should have been in the parking lot.

 

He was laying in bed, with _her_ gray afghan covering his body and looked up at the ceiling of the room. A sigh left him. Ulquiorra was conflicted because he wanted to pour his heart out to O and tell her how he really felt. He couldn’t. He didn’t want to deal with another Nel situation. He didn’t want to deal with another Cirucci situation.

 

What happened with his first girlfriend had been horrible. Ulquiorra had thought the stars and the moon shone on that woman with the dark purple hair and big doe eyes. Cirucci had told him that her family was moving and she was going with them. He saw her photos on social media sites.

 

Cirucci had moved away to be with another guy. Loly was a whore.

 

Then he met Nel. Nel had been thinking about cheating at the end of their relationship. He didn’t need that headache. It was why he walked away; that and their differences in personalities and values.

 

Breaking himself out of his former heartaches, Ulquiorra felt for his phone lying beside his head, thumbing through the applications and tapping on his music player. He brought up all the songs Orihime had suggested to him.

 

He had been such a fuck up. This was his only thought as he fell asleep. The next morning dawned cold, with someone pounding on his door. He got out of bed, dressed, trudged through the apartment, surprised when he unlocked and opened the barrier, Ginjo stood there, seething mad.

  
  
“Where the fuck is she?”

  
  
“What?” the green-eyed man asked; confusion written all over his face.

  
  
“Where’s Orihime? She leave you too? I know she was over here. You think I’m stupid Cifer? I bet you had fun fucking my girlfriend, didn’t you? I made sure she’d have to come crawling back but I didn’t think it’d take this long!”

  
  
Ulquiorra’s half-awake state diminished as Ginjo grabbed his t-shirt yanking him roughly. His neighbor smelled like cigarettes and booze and it was still so early in the morning. “I have no clue what you’re talking about, Ginjo. You’re the one who broke up with Orihime.”

 

“Where the fuck is she? Didn’t I tell you to stay away from her?” the bigger man shouted at him.

  
  
Telling the man to fuck off had been the wrong answer. When his vision cleared, Ginjo was gone, and Ulquiorra was lying on the floor; his eye starting to swell closed and he tasted blood in his mouth. He closed his door then stumbled to the bathroom, he glanced in the mirror to see he had a black eye and his lip was split. It had caused the blood in his mouth and dripping down his chin.  

 

This was great. Just fucking _Wunderbar_. In his entire life, he’d never been hit over a woman. After cleaning his face, he tilted his head to the left and the right, trying to assess the damage. The bruising around his eye was darkening and Ulquiorra brought his hand up to touch it. This was horrible.

 

How was he going to explain this?

 

He didn’t have anyone to explain it to really. Orihime left. No one else was around him. He spit blood out of his mouth and then went into the living room where his desk sat. He grabbed a sheet of clean, white paper and the Poe volume. He went into the bedroom, flopping onto the bed.

 

His first order of business was to call a real estate company. He needed to set up and appointment, because there was no way in hell Ulquiorra, was going to stay living next to the psychopath that just attacked him. He called the place that set him up with this apartment and quickly set something up.

 

The next thing he did was listen to _her_ songs the melodies filtering over his eardrums like voices accusing him of wrongdoings. He was surrounded by things that belonged to Orihime. All he wanted was her here with him. Ulquiorra wanted to wake up beside her. He wanted to be able to kiss her good morning.

 

He closed his eyes to steel himself against the pain that lanced through him. He couldn’t deal with this. Taking a deep gulp of breath, Ulquiorra pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes gently. Emotions weren’t needed to write this letter. It would be short and sweet. A ragged exhale of air left him, his throat burning from suppressing the sobs that were stewing in his chest, threatening at any moment to surface.

 

Once he was calm enough, he used the surface of the book as a desktop, letting his pen lightly touch the surface with short strokes. He wasn’t angry but at the same time, this wasn’t a love letter to her.

   

 

> Orihime,
> 
> I am not going to apologize because I believe it would fall on deaf ears; plus I don’t feel deserving of one. I am torn and shattered by your absence. I keep thinking at any moment, you’ll come out of the bedroom with a smile on your face, welcoming me. You haven’t been here for four days.  
>    
>  It was wrong of me to throw accusations at you like I did. I was jealous. I felt anger at the idea someone else could take you away from me although you’re not mine. I know that seems irrational after my inability to say what I meant. When it comes to you I just simply overindulge. I am constantly thinking about you and now that I’ve experienced a small portion of your body, I want you in such a way that I’ve never felt before.
> 
> The words I’ve written on paper as U.C. are very different than the Ulquiorra Cifer that stood in front of you that night. Without regard to the balance of our companionship, I took pleasure in your release. I feel horrible though because I’m not ready to let down this wall I have constructed.
> 
> My written words to you have been true while I hide behind this mask of impassiveness, telling you one thing when in reality I’m the opposite. I lust for everything about you. I want it. I need it. Writing this letter has me in pain because I have to write it and I have to address it to you.
> 
> You said that you wanted my heart. I’ve dropped multiple clues that you’ve had it. You’ve had it for several weeks. I feel that love is every emotion that we feel and experience. It’s happiness and sadness. It’s the ups and downs.
> 
> I’ll understand completely if this is our last means of communication. What I meant to say that night I came back home, was that I am yours completely. I am yours truly. I was trying to tell you what we did wasn’t very romantic; that’s my fault.
> 
> I have some parting gifts for you and I’ll hope you’ll accept them.
> 
>  
> 
> Casey Stratton - Dead Sea  
>  Jaymes Young - I'll Be Good  
>  New Radical - Someday We'll Know  
>  The Smashing Pumpkins - Luna  
>  Foo Fighters - Walking After You  
>  Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you find some solace in these lyrics.
> 
> Love,
> 
> \-  Ulquiorra Cifer

 

With small fissures appearing in his emotional heart, Ulquiorra folded the letter and slipped it into the book. He laid the letter on the front page of _The Fall of the House of Usher_. It seemed appropriate to end where they began. When he was ready, the dark-haired man walked to Urahara’s shop and entered. He stopped where he stood. Orihime was sitting in that chair in the back of the store.

  
His green eyes took in the sight of her. She looked just as rough as he did. Ulquiorra might have looked worse because of the blackening eye and split lip. He nodded at her and held up the book before letting it fall. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to force her to interact with him.

 

Turning towards the counter, he saw Urahara watching him. “Here’s your book, sorry--”

 

“No worries, Cifer. Did you want to browse the shelves?”

 

  
“No,” Ulquiorra said. He wouldn’t be borrowing any more books any time soon. He could quit being childish. He could go and talk to her. His mouth twisted. The only problem was is that everyone in this shop knew about them. They had to have known about the letters and he was positive that Urahara had told them about the apartment situation.

 

“Cifer.” It was a warning.

 

He snorted. What could the shopkeeper do to him besides throw him out? “It’s none of your business,” he replied, his voice low. The man could not refute this fact. His feet carried him forward of his own volition, closer to where she sat. Ulquiorra could feel eyes on him as he stopped several feet from her.

  
  
“O,” he hesitated, unsure of what to say next. Ulquiorra felt like he didn’t deserve to call her that any longer. “Inoue.”

 

She stood up slowly, her blanket falling away from her body.  She looked like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. To be fair, she couldn’t.  Her brows furrowed in worry and she brought a hand up to her own lips and eye and whispered, “How…?”

 

Her eyes darted from point to point on his face and body, drinking in the sight of him.  She was nearly certain this would be her last opportunity to do so.

 

He gave a short laugh, “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Ginjo is looking for you.”

 

She took a step toward him and stopped.  “I…” She didn’t know what she was trying to say.   What he had said about Ginjo was slowly starting to sink in.  “What does he want?”

 

“He wants you back. He wants me out of the picture. He wants to know where you’ve been,” Ulquiorra paused. “He knows you were at my place.”

 

She only heard one thing.  Ginjo had threatened Ulquiorra.  She glowered. She wanted nothing better than to find her former boyfriend and let his guts stain the pavement.  How dare he?

 

“Uru- Cifer-san,  you have to go to the hospital.  I’ll figure out a way to deal with Ginjo.  I don’t want you getting hurt.”

 

“I already got hurt, O. It doesn’t matter. I’ve set up a meeting with a real estate company for tomorrow.” He winced as her pet name came out of his mouth.

 

Orihime was slightly relieved, her forehead relaxing as she took a step backward.  “Oh, I see. Good. I’m sorry Uru, Cifer-san. I should have never gotten you involved.  This is my fault. I would be glad to help you with key money or whatever,” she bowed deeply at the waist.

 

He would never understand this strange culture and why they were so polite when they should be losing their ever loving minds. “Orihime, if you won’t let me blame Urahara for this. I’m not going to let you blame yourself. Me and you… Not just you. No one forced me to do--” Ulquiorra paused, his face coloring slightly. “I wanted to be involved. Speaking of Urahara, you should really read _The Fall of the House of Usher_ again.”

 

She stood from her bow and watched as he made his way toward the door.

 

Before he made his exit from the shop, the redheaded teen came up to him.

 

“Hey! Since you kept that book longer than necessary, could you take this trash out along with yourself?” the kid asked snottily and pushed the bag at him. “Take it your house and throw it away.”

 

With a sigh, Ulquiorra nodded and left the building with the bag in his hand. After the conversation he just had, it was the least he could do. He was pretty certain that Jinta was hinting that he should keep the bag and search through its contents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mou ii! - that’s enough!/ whatever!  
> Dare- machigatta, ano… “Who the hell is this? (Oh shit, that’s wrong, um...)  
> Wunderbar - (German) wonderful


	13. The Consequences of War Wounds

Orihime waited until the proprietor and employees of the bookstore had stopped waiting around for something interesting to happen before going over and picking up the Poe volume.  She ran her hand lovingly over the familiar cover and picked it up, clutching it to her chest as she skipped back over to her chair.

 

Instead of opening it to _The Fall of the House of Usher,_ she opened it to the first page, and read the first entry.  She continued making her way through the book, missing the removed post-its.  She had memorized them all.

 

Finally, the shopkeeper and company gave up and went about their business.  Finally, she opened to _The Fall of the House of Usher._ There it was.  Her beloved printer paper.  She went to open the letter and paused, fear causing her hand to tremble.  What she was about to read could completely destroy her. If the message said what she expected, all hope would extinguish.

 

She took a deep breath, and despite not knowing, a tear crept out of one eye.  She opened it.

 

She read.  She choked.  She smiled. A hand came up to cover her mouth as she sobbed.  He loved her. _He loved her._

 

She wanted to run to him.  She wanted to erase the last four days. She stood, straightening out her clothes and hair, sniffling and dabbing her runny nose on the sleeve of her day-and-a-half old sweatshirt, and eyed the exit.

 

What if he wasn’t home?  She should call him.

 

She dropped her chin to her chest and sighed.  Why were they so stupid? Not only could they not properly communicate their feelings to one another but they couldn’t even get it together enough to exchange phone numbers. She lifted her head and shook it.

 

She would just drive back there.

 

He made it home quickly lugging along that plastic bag. He had expected it to weigh more, but it felt airy. It was cold out, and he didn’t want to be in the elements, just in case it decided to snow again. Ulquiorra was surprised by how much snow this region of Japan recorded. He was sure it was nothing compared to the amount found further north. He unlocked his door and stepped inside, shedding his belongings like a snake shedding its skin. Then he went into his bedroom bringing that bag with him and flopped down, face first onto the blanket. Her jasmine and deep vanilla scent filled his nose.

  
A small slice of peace filled him. It was broken every time he moved or shifted in the bed. With a sigh, he finally rolled over and sat up. His fingers tore through the cheap plastic and stared at the crumpled balls of paper.

  
What was this? Why had Jinta told him to take the bag? He rifled through the bag and finally plucked a paper ball out of the bag. He unfurled the creased material seeing quick scribbles of a cat with a bat. It was well drawn, though a parody of sorts. He couldn’t help be reminded of Orihime, and her added verses to Edward Lear’s work.

  
He next found a sheet with his name written at the top of the page and then the same characters written over and over in Japanese. He didn’t recognize any of the nonsense on the page. Ulquiorra set it aside and then continued his paper hunt.

 

He found different notes from the woman in various states of completion. He found other sheets with characters scrawled across it. His task was interrupted by someone knocking on the door. He lifted his head, listening. That didn’t sound like Ginjo. With a grunt, he stood and left his bedroom. “What?” he called out, waiting for an answer.

  
He wasn’t expecting a quiet, muffled noise.

 

Orihime stood in the cold, rapping softly on Ulquiorra’s door, hoping not to alert Ginjo.  She waited several seconds and heard a voice from inside, but no movement.  She let a quiet ‘Brrr’ slip from her mouth as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to stay warm and weighing her options.  Finally, the cold won out. She rapped harder.

 

This was starting to annoy him. He unlocked the barrier and then inched it open slowly. He was shocked to see red hair fill his vision. Ulquiorra pushed the door open and looked at Orihime. “I didn’t expect you back,” he confessed.

 

Orihime ducked under his arm and pushed through the doorway, pulling the door closed behind her, latching the lock, and spinning around to face him.  On her drive over, she had imagined the many ways she could reunite with him in a grand, romantic gesture, one that involved unrestrained kissing and perhaps, throwing caution to the wind.  However, in her fantasies, Ulquiorra did not have an eye swollen shut in a grotesque shiner and a busted lip.

 

She was going to have to recalibrate.

 

She stared at his face.  He started back. Neither said a word.  They stood there like that for nearly a minute.  Finally, Orihime carefully reached up and laid a hand on his heart, her vision following her hand there.  A small smile played on her cold lips, and she took a step forward. Very _very_ carefully she stood on her tiptoes and kissed the cheek that was not home to his black eye, then lowered back down to her heels and took off her shoes.   When she stood, she found his eyes again and said, “I’m home.”

 

***

 

He stared at her as she moved around his apartment. Just like that she was back here, everything seemed to be forgiven, but he didn’t want to jinx it. Ulquiorra didn’t want to say or do the wrong thing because he didn’t want her to leave again.

 

Rubbing the back of his neck, he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. He fidgeted slightly. “So uh,” he began. This sounded so lame in his head. Why couldn’t he be the cool, suave person that he was in those letters? Why couldn’t he be U.C.? U.C. had never stumbled over his words. “I guess we can go back to our prior arrangement?”

 

Orihime stood looking at the bedroom door.  When he asked his question, she turned her head toward him and answered, “If you want to, that’s fine, but…”

 

She didn’t want to sound over-eager so she hoped he would fill in the blanks for himself.  

 

But? But what? He huffed out a breath. “It’s fine. We need--We have to get--” Why wouldn’t the words come out?

 

“Ok, Urukiora-kun.  If that’s what you want it’s fine,” she said with a smile.  She had been working on saying his name, and this time it came out much more smoothly than before.

 

“It’s not up to me. I mean we’ve… Time. We need to get used to each other... ” he rambled. Ulquiorra moved past her and into the bedroom. “I left a mess in here. I should clean it up before--”

 

He sighed, shaking his head then walking past her, he entered the room and began shoving the crumpled pieces of paper back into the bag. All except for one, he pushed the ball of paper into his pocket then gathered the bag in his hand. He’d read the last note later when she was asleep. “I take it you--We’re okay?”

 

Her twinkling eyes found his.  “We’re better than ok,” she spoke in a smiling voice.

 

Her happy face spread warmth through his body, and he gave her a small smile in return. “I’ve got an appointment at a real estate thing tomorrow. I’ll um, look for something that has two bedrooms if you’d like. I don’t want to pressure you into coming with me. You’re under no obligation to stay… with me.”

 

She looked amused by his meekness.  “You seem to think that I am fickle with my emotions,” she paused to laugh gently.  “I thought I was clear that I want to be wherever you are.” She paused and brought an index finger to her lips, knitting her brows together seriously and looking toward the ground deep in thought.

 

“I think I should not go with you to the real estate company though.  If Ginjo is really looking for me, it could bring trouble. For both of us.  You’re foreign, so you’ll need a guarantor… maybe Mr. Tessai can do it? He’s very kind.  Not that Mr. Urahara isn’t, but I know your relationship with him is, er, _tense_.”

 

He waved a hand. “I already have this place. No one says no to money,” Ulquiorra offered. Something was off with her. “You want--you want us to sleep together don’t you?”

 

She tipped her head to the side, her hair falling away from her neck, and worried her fingers a bit.  “It’s just that winter gets so cold… these places don’t have central heating.” She straightened back up and added, “But two rooms are fine.”

 

Then she had a flash of realization.  Her eyes narrowed. “Nobody makes enough money teaching English to move after six months without a guarantor… how?”

 

It wasn’t a big secret, so Ulquiorra explained. “Do you think my passion is teaching conversational English? It’s not. What I do is a dead end, a dull job that sucks away at the life of people who take it. It’s the same thing day in and day out. No one wants to learn English. It just looks impressive when they tell people about it. However, I’m--I’m somewhat comfortable with my finances. My parents taught me how to budget, and I’m frugal.”

 

“Still, it has to come from somewhere… what did you do before you came here?”

 

“I taught,” he said. “My parents have money. They’ve always made sure I had things growing up. I have money. I took this job to maintain a space from my ex. I don’t need it, but it keeps me here.”

 

She raised an eyebrow.  “Ex? Your ex is so evil that you had to move a world away?  Makes Ginjo sound like Prince Charming,” she gave an awkward laugh, trying to play off her irrationally jealous reaction.

 

“No, Nelliel isn’t evil,” he said. Ulquiorra bit his lip, trying to think of how to explain what happened. “Nel found someone else, well more than just someone. Two someones. She could relate to them more than me. I made myself emotionally unavailable to her. I decided to be the bigger person and let her be happy.”

 

She faked a smile and turned around, pretending to busy herself with something that was on his dresser.  “That _is_ big of you.”

 

He raised an eyebrow. Now Orihime just seemed bothered by that news. He dropped the plastic bag on the bed and moved to stand behind Orihime, sliding his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. “If I never came here or took that teaching job, I wouldn’t have you in my life. Nel is trash. She doesn’t matter. No one but you matters to me.”

 

Nervously, she fidgeted until he finished speaking, then stopped and allowed herself to relax into his embrace.  “You’re a smooth talker, Urukiora.”

 

He moved his arm, letting pale fingers brush the red hair away from her neck, exposing the skin. Since Christmas day, the majority of his thoughts and dreams had revolved around this woman, beckoning to him and teasing him. Letting his fingers trail up and down her neck, he murmured, “I could be smoother if you’d like. I would tell you how beautiful you are; how lovely I think you look. We’re all alone, and it’s warmer here than on that road.”

 

Maybe his ex wasn’t evil, but she could be.  “That’s quite the silver tongue you have, Mr. Cifer,” she paused to sway her hips from side to side in his arms for a bit while humming thoughtfully.  “You can keep going, but it’s not going to get you anywhere with those busted lips of yours.”

 

Orihime had called him out on his bluff. Even if he had a split lip, it wasn’t going to stop him. He pressed his mouth against her neck but really didn’t put any pressure on it. He started to gently stroke her stomach. “It’s not my fault your ex can’t take constructive criticism in the form of me telling him to fuck off.”

 

“Oh?  Is that what earned you these manly war wounds?”  She turned around in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck.  She lifted the hair on his forehead gently and frowned. His eye looked worse than it did earlier.  She sighed and her frown melted into a worried pout. “Let me get you a cold compress for this.”

 

He tilted his head away from her. “It's fine. It doesn’t even hurt. Ginjo thought you’d come crawling back to him. I rudely told him that he was wrong.”

 

She went to touch the bruised area, and he winced.  “You’re a liar. Thank you, though, for sticking up for me,” she said gently pressing her lips to his, careful not to stress the crusty fissures.

 

“I’m not a liar. You just caught me off guard,” he replied. “It does get cold in here; I could _sleep_ with you tonight.” Carefully his hands went under her shirt, touching her sides. “I want to hear you say it though. I don’t want to assume anything.”

 

“What is there to assume?  I would feel awful for my chivalrous knight to sleep uncomfortably.  I don’t mind keeping you warm.”

 

***

 

The rhythm of their new life together started off shakily. Ulquiorra was confused as to why he was in bed with Orihime the next morning. He was more confused as to why they had clothes on. Right, he was trying to be a gentleman. It hadn’t been long ago that she broke up with Ginjo. It hadn’t been that long ago when he had been a complete asshole to her.

 

He’d gone to the appointment he made with the real estate company. He was unsatisfied with everything they showed him, thinking he was poor. He might have been there as a teacher with dismal pay, but he knew he could pay for something better. When he suggested this in his broken way of speaking Japanese the agent said that she would have to look around and that she would get back to him,

 

A week passed by without any call from the company. In the meantime, Ulquiorra had other things to worry about. The crumpled up piece of paper he shoved into the pockets of his jeans he had yet to read. He didn’t want to pull it out in front of Orihime, so when he knew she wasn’t going to be home until later, he dug it out of his desk.

  
  
It was wrinkled, but he smoothed it out on his leg as he sat in his chair.  The paper was a mess with different ideas and sayings. The first thing that caught his eye was Orihime Cifer written on one line. That made his mouth twitch.

 

Maybe one of these days.

 

The next thing that caught his eye was a song title, followed by the artist. He quickly tapped the words into his phone. When the video popped up, he listened. As the singer belted out the words into the apartment, Ulquiorra put a hand up to his mouth, grimacing in discomfort. His lip and eye were healing but were still tender. What was Orihime trying to tell him?

 

_But there’s this nagging suspicion that won’t leave me alone tonight_

_It’s just that everything I try to do, nothing seems to turn out right_

 

He hadn’t left her alone. He should have, but O/Orihime had captured his heart. She had sunk through his thick defenses. Was she blaming herself for things? As the song came to a close, Ulquiorra came to the conclusion that this song was talking about how his and Orihime’s sudden relationship had changed because he had turned it into something sexual.

 

The next song written down was sung entirely in Japanese. He caught various phrases in English, but it wasn’t enough for him. So he quickly found a translation for the song.

 

His heart nearly stopped in his chest.

 

_Machigatta koi wo shita kedo  - I had fell in love by mistake_

_Machigai de wa nakatta - No, it wasn't a mistake._

 

Those were the lines he read next to the English translation; he was floored. Orihime was trying to tell him that she was in love with him and it wasn’t a mistake? Hadn’t he just signed a letter with the word love written on it? They hadn’t known each other long, but that’s how he felt about her.

 

Their hearts and fates were intertwined with each other. They were on this path, destined to meet in some capacity.

 

He wouldn’t say it yet though, if ever. Orihime would have to tell him first, and he was for certain that she wouldn’t be foolish enough to say it right away.

  
His eyes glanced at the list as he tapped the next song into the device. It came up with a different artist, but still, the lyrics were the same. The jazzy feel and tone of the song left chills down his spine, and goosebumps along his arms.

 

_Say something; I'm giving up on you_

 

Those words. They left a sour taste in his mouth. What did Orihime want him to say? Hadn’t he poured enough of his emotions into words?

 

His condition worsened when the flugelhorn joined in with the rest of the accompaniment. Ulquiorra shivered.

 

_And I will swallow my pride_

_You're the one that I love_

_And I'm saying goodbye_

 

Oh no, as long as Ulquiorra lived, he knew he wasn’t going to say goodbye to Orihime. He would let her walk away from him, and no one would take her place. He looked at the last song but didn’t bother to listen to it. He merely looked up the lyrics, just in case, it was another heart-wrenching song.

 

It was, but it was a good kind of ache. These songs all had the same theme of someone who was experiencing heartbreak or loss. He had hurt Orihime. With his words and actions, he managed to break her down. He closed his eyes and laid his head against the back of the chair. He was an idiot.

 

When he opened his eyes moments later and looked at the piece of paper, his eyes landed on two words surrounded by a heart shape.

 

_Delilah Cifer._

 

Maybe might come sooner than later.

 

He stood walking over to his desk. He sat down and found a piece of paper then picked up his favorite pen.

  

 

 

> Love,
> 
> I happened to come into possession of a list. On this list was your name combined with mine. I cannot tell you how terrified this makes me. I’m scared but not for the reasons you think. I’m frightened because we haven’t known each other long and I want to introduce you to my family. Have you ever been to Germany?
> 
> I cannot explain how important you are to me Orihime. I just know that you are. There are times throughout my day that I wish your name would flash on the screen of my phone or that I could text you the random thought I had. Maybe I would even call you and tell you what book we should start passing notes in next. However, I feel that text messages are cheap and that writing my words out by hand shows more care and consideration towards one another.
> 
> I have one song for you today.
> 
>  
> 
> _Andrew Belle - In My Veins_
> 
>  
> 
> I cannot wait to see you later.
> 
> \- Ulquiorra


	14. Kinky Pirates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EIV: Hi, it's me again... The thirsty bitch. GIVE IT TO MEEEEE  
> JKR: ... You're going to wait.  
> EIV: *POUTS* :(((((((((((((

 

Orihime had had a bad day. She had done an artistic calligraphy class, and lots of little old ladies had signed up. Unfortunately for her one of them was actually a real calligraphy teacher and called her out on her perceived shortcomings and all but took over the class, leaving Orihime fuming and humiliated.

 

She stopped by the discount liquor store on the way home. It was one of _those_ days. She browsed the shelves and looked at the usual wines and sweet liqueurs; nothing was really calling her name. Then she turned down the spirits aisle. There. That's more like it. She saw a bottle in the shape of a skull with a fake golden eyepatch on it. She walked up to the container and said, "Ahoy, matey!" and picked it up, putting it into her shopping basket. She also picked up some frozen pizza and a lime. She would turn this day around if it killed her, and based on her selection, it might.

 

She got home at around 18:00 and started preheating the toaster oven. Their tiny place didn't have a real one. She waited a few minutes and then put the pizza in and set a timer, then went to the bedroom.

 

Ulquiorra appeared to have gone out for something; he usually had tutoring end early on Fridays, but maybe he picked up an extra student or stepped out. She had no way of knowing, because, despite her prior self-reprimand for not exchanging numbers, they still hadn't done it. It just hadn't come up.

 

She changed out of her work clothes and rinsed off in the shower, just feeling like it would help shed the day off. When she stepped out and returned to the bedroom to get dressed, she saw a letter on her pillow. With a growing smile on her face, she picked it up to read. Her heart pounded at Ulquiorra's words. Was he being serious? Did he really want her to meet his family? She had to force herself not to damage the paper with her now-sweaty, clutching palms. She was about to fall down onto the mattress in delirium when she heard the timer for the pizza go off. She hopped up, folded the letter, and put it into the drawer Ulquiorra had allocated as hers in the dresser, then looked through her suitcase for something to wear.

 

She hadn't done laundry in some time.

 

No bother, she thought, brazenly throwing open Ulquiorra's closet and looking around. She smelled the pizza starting to over-brown and trotted over to the kitchen in her towel and took it out of the toaster oven… it was not ideal. Still edible, but a bit on the crunchy side. She left it to sit out on the counter and bounced back to the bedroom and Ulquiorra's closet. She rifled through his shirts and finally found a soft black oversized hoodie. She wondered if it was a gift or something because it looked rather large for Ulquiorra. She took it out and held it up to herself and realized why she had never seen it before; it was made out of more of a summer weight fabric, and it had the Batman logo splashed across the side. She laughed out loud as she put on some underwear and then pulled the hoodie over her head and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail.

 

Before she went out of the bedroom she pulled on some fuzzy knee-high socks Orihime had received from her aunt for her birthday, dark gray like her life had been before Ulquiorra, she thought in a darkly ironic way. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided it was good enough, and then went back for the pizza.

 

When she came out, she found Ulquiorra already home and standing over it drooling like a caged dog. "You can have some if you want, that's for both of us," she said as she walked past him to get a glass from the cupboard. "Will you be joining me tonight?" she asked, holding up two shot glasses and the skull bottle.

 

He gave a chuckle before glancing at her. Then he did a double take. Ulquiorra's mouth went dry as he stared at Orihime, starting at her feet. Green eyes traveled up her bare legs and lingered a bit too long on her thighs and hips where his sweatshirt ended. When he thought he was enough of a pervert, he continued to study her form skipping over her chest. If she didn't have pants on there was a reasonable probability that she didn't have a bra on. She was wearing his shirt. He didn't know if he should point this out or take her into the bedroom right now.

 

"Is that-" he cleared his throat because he didn't sound right. "You-"

 

"Yep, it's tequila. Ole!" she said with a flourish.

 

Ulquiorra only had tequila once in his life, and he knew what kind of effects it would have on him, but he nodded. "I'll join you," he answered. He took a step towards her, then licked his lips. "Are you my dessert for tonight then?"

 

She kept her eyes on his and smirked just a bit, but shrank away at his advance. "One course at a time, please," she teased, but really she was not trying to challenge him. She was too hungry to think about what he had on his mind. "I'm starving." She bypassed him and started cutting the pizza, and before she plated it, she cut some limes.

 

She was teasing him. He gave a small groan of frustration and watched as she moved. Ulquiorra saw how snug the material was over her ass and he was looking for any indication that there was something under that piece of clothing to keep him in check. He was grateful to every deity he could think of when he saw that line that told him she indeed was wearing underwear.

 

" _Starving_?" he said, absently, eyes still on her bottom. "You have no idea."

 

"You, sir, are the one who has no idea. I haven't eaten since my shift started. And then, _then,_ I had the _worst_ class ever. It was a total nightmare. I deserve pizza and sympathy, isn't that right, matey?" she addressed the tequila bottle, and then answered herself back in a higher-pitched voice, "Aye aye, captain!"

 

He let her ramble on, enjoying her antics. Orihime was adorable when she did this, going on and on about her day or other things. It made him smile. Ulquiorra moved so that he was standing behind her and grabbed her ass. "I'll give you all the sympathy you want later," he said.

 

Orihime yelped and jumped when Ulquiorra grabbed her, then spun around, trying in vain not to blush like a schoolgirl. Still, she kept in character, "Avast, savage! You'll never get your hands on me booty!"

 

"Feed me, woman. We can play Kinky Pirates later." He got some plates from one of the cupboards and set them down on the counter. "I got a peg leg you can play with," he muttered.

 

She grinned at that and threw her head back in a throaty laugh. "Ok, go sit down. Do you want some water too or just Mr. Smee?", she gestured at the tequila bottle.

 

He didn't seem to hear her so she got him some water anyway. She brought everything to the table and then returned to the kitchen for the salt shaker. "I have never done tequila shots before. I've had margaritas but not the shots. My dear friend Uryu goes to school in New York now and he was telling me that all the "cool kids" do this." she was joking about the cool kids thing, but she looked wistful when she spoke Uryu's name.

 

"I've been to New York. I was not impressed by it. Overpriced clothing, food, bars and drinks," Ulquiorra said. "Tequila isn't that bad you just shouldn't drink a lot of it."

 

"Duly noted, Swabby." She said before biting down on her pizza.

 

They ate in silence, well he ate in silence and she talked about her awful, no good day while Ulquiorra watched her face and expressions. He wondered if she had read the letter he left on her pillow.

 

"I had a student who wanted some extra time today. I tried to tell him that he could slow down on studying but he wouldn't accept my advice," he commented.

 

"Hmm, be careful, _sensei_. You are very charming. You'll have many students wanting to elope with you if you are not careful," she said mockingly as what he was trying to say flew right over her head. She started pouring shots.

 

He accepted the tiny glass and studied the liquid inside. Ulquiorra looked at Orihime before throwing the alcohol back into his mouth, swallowing it without making a face. It burned on its way down.

 

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well played, grasshopper." She pulled back her sleeve to reveal her left wrist and ran a lime over it slowly, then sprinkled it with salt and brought it to her mouth. Her soft pink tongue came out to lap up the mixture, and then she brought the shot glass to her mouth with the other hand, downing it in one go and popping the lime wedge in her mouth. She held that lime wedge in there like an orange smile as she poured out another round of shots, then took it out of her mouth and discarded it on her plate. "Anyway, what did the kid say after you told him that?" she asked as if nothing had happened.

 

He watched everything she did, his mouth dry. Ulquiorra knew that this was going to be bad when she licked her own wrist. How badly he wanted to do that, letting his tongue play on her flesh and savoring her. It took a minute before her question sank into his brain and he blinked several times. "Uh, uh, he, uh said that he couldn't because he wanted to gain acceptance to some school. I wasn't paying attention. I just wanted to get home."

 

"I see. Well, I hope he gets what he wants. He's definitely showing the motivation." She readied another shot and repeated the same ritual on her wrist as the first time. "You're falling behind, Cifer," she challenged him.

 

"Am I?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "What if I want to lick the salt off your thighs?"

 

She considered it. "How about you can if you win and if I win you have to do whatever I tell you to do?"

 

He took the shot just as before with no facial expressions to indicate how much drinking it sucked. Ulquiorra tilted his head shrugged. "Miss Inoue, I say we do both."

 

She raised her brows at him. The tequila was starting its work on her inhibitions. "What do you propose?"

 

He smirked. "I say we should go into the bedroom where I'm going to do exactly what I did to you before."

 

"Try to steal me booty? Methinks not, Swabby. Counterproposal: we finish eating this pizza and then do the dishes and then brush our teeth because ew, pizza breath." Apparently, the tequila worked on her inhibitions indiscriminately.

 

As much as he did not like her idea, she was right. If they started things now then they may never clean up their messes; not that the apartment was a mess. He nodded his head. "I'd never try to steal anything so beautiful."

 

She blushed and looked away, eating another piece of pizza. Ulquiorra didn't have a clue, she thought. She knew that it was important to him to do things 'right' this time, but he was making it incredibly difficult for her. "What would you steal then, bilgerat?" she finally asked when the shyness passed.

 

"Your heart."

 

She shook her head and smiled at him. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of misfortune, but I'm afraid it's already been taken, you see? A Mr. Cifer came by earlier today and left me a note with a tidy sum attached. It is now in his possession. You'd have to steal it from him, but I don't think you'd be very successful; he's very scary."

 

Ah, so she had read it. He laughed. "I'll take my chances. So what did Mister Cifer's ransom note say that you would readily give it away?"

 

"Well, this and that," she said with an evil grin slowly spreading across her face. Ulquiorra glowered at her and she caved in. "But he did mention something about Germany, and meeting his esteemed lineage. Then I will not lie and tell that he did flatter me verily, and offered me a song. I have not. yet. heard. it." she emphasized each word for no reason other than that she was tipsy.

 

"Tch," he scoffed in a playful manner. "Did he tell you how adorable you are when you snore in my ear or how cold your cute feet are when you climb into bed?"

 

Ulquiorra reached over and took her hand. "I hope I made you smile."

 

She didn't have to say anything. She showed him that same smile, and intertwined her fingers in his. She looked down and their joined hands and blushed over her already tequila-flushed cheeks. She scooted a bit closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder and said, "You are the cute one, Batman."

 

He groaned. It had been an obsession as a kid but he had the same aunt who thought he was still into comic book characters. "You know seeing you in my shirt makes me want to just say screw it and bend you over something, Orihime."

 

Ulquiorra turned his face towards her. Could he say it? Instead, he kissed her forehead. "Does that mean you'll visit them with me when you have the chance?"

 

She nuzzled her face into his neck. "Yes. And don't worry about the note. I just thought I was saying goodbye to a vague dream."

 

Ulquiorra decided that he had enough of this. Everything could wait. "Come, my woman," he said, pulling her towards their shared room. "I'm not going to wait any longer."

 

Orihime followed him, confused. What was he not waiting for?

 

She wasn't an idiot. She had an idea. But it seemed like he was being mysterious.

 

"You mean we're not going to play Kinky Pirates?"

 

He turned around and quickly pulled her body to his, feeling her tits press against his torso. "We can play that later right now I just want to pleasure you as much as I can. I want to feel your body against mine."

 

Orihime's blood rushed to her head and back down to her core, suddenly breathless. She looked into his eyes and saw them darken. This was happening. She didn't censor herself as she hissed when his growing hardness made contact with her belly. She raised a knee up the outside of his leg.

 

He grabbed her leg then reached down to the other leg and lifted her up. This was dangerous because he felt how little clothing there was between them. She was warm against him. He waited until her arms went around his neck and she held on as he walked into the other room. Ulquiorra carefully placed her on the bed, groaning at the contact their bodies made. He looked down at the woman beneath him, using a pale hand to trace her jawline and then mouth. "Tell me O, do you want your last name to be Cifer? I read it on that note."

 

Her cheeks darkened and her eyes shone as they drank in his. She answered in a breathy whisper, "Yes."

 

His head came down, mouth seeking hers out. Hands traveled down the sides of her body, feeling for the edge of the sweatshirt she was wearing. He didn't immediately push it up and out the way but merely caressed the skin of her thigh right below the piece of clothing. "Between seeing you in my shirt and those socks, I'm done being a gentleman. I'm done trying to restrain myself around you."

 

She wrapped her left leg around his hips and pulled him to her. "Kiss me," she breathed into his mouth, and didn't wait for him to follow orders. She craned her head up and made contact first, pulling his lower lip with her as her head came back down onto the pillow.

 

He hissed, partly in pain and partly because Orihime had done what she wanted. It was hot and sent blood rushing to his hips. Ulquiorra followed her, kissing her mouth again before moving to her jaw then neck. He let his teeth nip at the skin and his tongue slide along a pulse point. "Anything you want," he murmured.

 

"Anything?" she whispered in return, followed by a small whine as his tongue grazed over a ticklish spot on her neck. She wrapped her hands around his back and started pulling on his t-shirt. She managed to get it up to his chest and then her hands took in the smoothness of his skin as she caressed it, starting from the small of his back and pulling up to his shoulder blades.

 

He shivered as the cool air hit his skin. His hands started inching the shirt she was wearing higher, exposing a glimpse of cotton underwear. "What do you want?" he asked, his head coming up. Ulquiorra looked at her face. Her face was red and he had to wonder if it was due to their activities or the alcohol they consumed.

 

She didn't answer. She pulled his face back to her and put her tongue in his mouth, laving at his and whimpering as she did. She raised her hips and pressed them against his, whimpering again. Then she broke this kiss and said, "I want your phone number."

 

He laughed. He threw his head back and laughed. "O, I would have given that to you anyway. All you had to do was ask or take my phone," Ulquiorra said. "Anything else, I can give milady?"

 

She glared at him for a moment. He was teasing her right when she was finally letting loose. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't take your phone. What if you had private stuff on there? Pictures of ex-girlfriends? Credit card numbers? That's not for me to go through without your permission." she sighed again. "Anyway, the reason I need your number now is because I'll be out of town tomorrow night."

 

"You're assuming I kept pictures like that on my phone. I'm not the dirty old man you think I am. The most risque thing I have on there is... I think it's a picture of my chest."

 

"Wow, a little narcissistic, are we? Oh well, I guess if I looked like you I would be too. What do you have under that shirt that deserves a picture on your phone? Have you been holding out on me?"

 

Ulquiorra sighed and sat up. He grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and quickly pulled the piece of clothing off and then looked down at the redhead. He wasn't sure how she would take the fact that he was tattooed. Most Japanese people saw them as something to be avoided, at least that was what he was told.

 

It was not what Orihime had expected. Her eyes widened and her teeth sunk into her lower lip as she beheld a large black "4" tattooed onto his left pectoral area. It was stark against his skin and looked like it floated above it. It was taboo. It was hot. Her eyes didn't linger there too long though as they swept over the rest of his torso. It wasn't the first time she had seen him shirtless, but from this angle, she was able to see the topography of his hard muscles jutting out of his slender build in better contrast. He was magnificent, as far as she was concerned. She brought her hand out to touch the tattoo and traced the number gently. "When did you get this?"

 

He shook his head. "A day or two after you left," he said, turning his head away from her. "The shop I got it at told me that it was an unlucky number but I felt like death at the time so..." he trailed off, not wanting to go into the story about why he did it.

 

She saw his pain. She wanted to take it away. She trailed her hand down from his tattoo to his nipple, tracing its oval shape slowly and deliberately. She sat up and kissed it, and its mate as well. Then she leaned back on her elbow and trailed her fingers down his abdomen to the hair peeking out of his waistband. "Do you have any other surprises, or…?" she asked as she paused, her fingertips curling over the button of his jeans.

 

Again, he shook his head. "No," he answered. "I know you don't have any surprises."

 

She sat up and kissed his neck, whispering into it, "None that you can see with your eyes, anyway." She popped open his fly and began to pull down the zipper.

 

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow and grabbed both of her wrists. "I don't think it's fair that you're so overdressed. It's unfair that I'm sitting here bare-chested."

 

He let her go then grabbed the hem of the hoodie she was wearing. He dragged it up and over her head. "There, O. Level playing field."

 

She blushed yet again and shrunk back a bit, her breasts wobbling with the movement. She licked her lips and pulled down on his zipper slowly. When it was open, she brought her hands to his waist and began to peel the jeans from his hips, her cold fingertips hungry for the heat radiating off of him. She got them down several inches before it began to get tight, and she paused to look up at his face to make sure she wasn't hurting him.

 

Ulquiorra didn't think he could be more turned on. Never in his life had a woman done what Orihime was doing. When he was going to have sex, he usually removed his clothes himself. He bit his lip and then looked at the redhead. He nodded and then helped her a little by pushing them down further. "Did you happen to get… you know?"

 

She stopped. She looked to the side. "Well..."

 

He sighed. "It's okay," he decided.

 

"I did get tested, but I'm still waiting on the results," she offered as if it would help.

 

It was a good thing she got tested but still, it was a rocky road. Fuck it. If they were going to be together like this, he would have to trust her. Ulquiorra shrugged and leaned down, kissing her gently. "I'm still going to pleasure you, with or without them," he told her.

 

She looked at him with questioning eyes for a moment, then pushed him back and brought her eyes down to what he had distracted her from before. Right there. At eye level. There it was, staring at her like the mast of a mighty ship. "Aye aye, Captain," she whispered with a smirk.

 

After shimmying the rest of his clothing off except for his boxers, Ulquiorra lay beside her. He wasn't being inappropriate, he was just holding her for the moment. He needed a second to wrap his head around what was going to happen. "Do you ever want kids," he asked, before propping his head up with his hand.

 

There was a definite mood switch. She didn't know what brought it on, but he sounded sincere with his question. She rolled onto her side to face him. "Yes, why do you ask?"

 

"The list I found, it had another name on it," he said. This was frightening territory for him because he never thought about the future with someone. He just existed so asking about name changes and offspring was never a thought that he dealt with. "I was just curious."

 

She brought her hand to rest on his heart, her eyes following. "How did seeing that make you feel?" she asked, before finding his eyes again.

 

He shook his head a couple of times. "I was an asshole to you, why would you-Why do you want me? I'm nothing special, Orihime."

 

She smiled tenderly, and her eyes went back to her hand where she retraced his tattoo. "That's where you're wrong. You're perfect. Your words, your taste, your sense of humor, your scary face, your beautiful soul. To me you are perfect," she paused as her eyes found his again, "except when you are being a total dick. But I'll let it slide this time."

 

Without warning, he was on top of her again; pressing his hips against hers and kissing her. Her answer surprised Ulquiorra, but she had surprised him since the beginning of their exchanges. "You said you're going to be gone this weekend? That means you're going to give me a taste of your body and then leave me for days?" he teased her.

 

She panted as she yielded to his sudden advance, answering between breaths, "It'll….. only…be for one… night. It's for… work."

 

"Do you know what I want to do to you?" he asked, mouth against her neck. Ulquiorra was slowly going lower, taking his time with making sure she was ready for him, once he was satisfied. "I want to kiss every inch of your curves. I want to feel your body rest along mine, your breasts pressing into me, legs wrapped around mine. I want to be able to feel the heat of your skin on me as I'm doing now."

 

She threaded her fingers through his hair and let her fingertips trail along the shell of his ear as she breathed shallow breaths, and hummed as he said those words to her. "What are you waiting for?"

 

"Because I want to tell you exactly what I'm going to do to you before I do it," he explained. He saw the pout. "I'm going to let you feel my tongue against you. I want to hear every breath you take; every whimper and whine. I want you to moan for me. I need to know how much you want this. I'm going to touch you while kissing you. I'm going to be kissing you while sliding myself against your bare skin."

 

He hummed and then started moving his mouth lower. His hands followed the same trail, fingers tickling spots and feeling the skin under them. He stopped when he reached Orihime's chest, nuzzling at the curve of one and then the other gently.

 

Her breath came in increasingly shallow draws as he continued his exploration. When he stopped at her chest, she arched her back slightly, offering herself to him. She wanted nothing better than for him to take one of her tight nipples into his mouth and feel his heat surrounding it. When he didn't, her hands moved on their own accord to his head and hugged it to her chest.

 

A chuckle was his answer to that. His fingers were busy, touching those sensitive buds, making them stiffen by brushing his nails against them. He was enjoying how her chest was rising and falling; how desperate Orihime was starting to sound. Finally, when Ulquiorra thought Orihime had had enough, he let his tongue flick one nipple and then the other, before enclosing his mouth over the left, sucking on the flesh.

 

When he thought he had driven her crazy, he moved his mouth to the other neglected peak of skin.

 

Orihime cried out when his tongue touched her. The soft muscle teased her, sending jolts of electricity across her skin and to her core. She was extremely sensitive, and his attention to this area of her anatomy began to twist her coil with every movement he made. Her voice began to join her ragged breathing in unintelligible squeaks and moans. Although her eyes were open, she saw nothing. She only felt. He hummed as she whispered his name, and her vision cleared, taking in the image of his dark brows and green irises peaking up at her from over the curve of her breast, and again, she cried out. She had never seen anything so erotic in her life. She stared at him as he continued to kiss her, suckle her, and she felt heat build in her core that had insofar been unrivaled in intensity.

 

With a single kiss to her breast, Ulquiorra moved down her body, kissing and licking a trail down her torso, paying particular attention to the spots where she giggled or squirmed. He was almost down to the place that he wanted to be when he heard banging on the other side of the wall, accompanied by loud moaning.

 

He glanced at Orihime before sitting up with a sigh. If Ginjo was starting his bullshit, there was no way they could do this. Especially since it was quite clear the woman on the other side of the wall was faking.

 

A realization dawned on Ulquiorra. The walls were thin. If he could hear Ginjo… Ginjo could hear them.

 

 _Fuck_.

 

Orihime groaned and sat up, clutching her pillow to her chest. She sat for a moment listening, and then scowled and threw the pillow at the wall, hissing, "Damn it, Ginjo! Could you just for once _not_ ruin sex for somebody!" She covered her mouth, and her eyes opened wide with disbelief that she had said that out loud. Her eyes moved to Ulquiorra's, dripping with mortification.

 

A smile played over his mouth, as much as he fought to restrain himself. "It's okay, love. I never heard you, so I kinda figured I'm the better lover," Ulquiorra said before he kissed her slowly. "I promise when it happens, you're going to enjoy it. But..."

 

She shuddered as Ginjo continued to grunt like a pig in shit. "We have to move."


	15. Let Your Hands Speak To Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Thirsty Bitch Brigade is back! LOL

Ulquiorra kissed Orihime before she left for her work thing. He didn't know what was going on. All he knew was the fact that she wasn't going to be there that night and he was going to have that entire bed to himself. It shouldn't have bothered him.

 

The kiss had been slow and sensual with him stroking her back under the length of hair that ran down to her hips. He even gave her ass a squeeze. He didn't want to let go of her though; too wound up from their close encounter from the previous night. After the thing with Ginjo grunting like he had food poisoning, Ulquiorra was in no mood to do anything. He went into the living room and cleaned while Orihime packed for her trip. When she was finished, they sat cuddling in his chair.

 

He had held his palm up then taken her hand and put it against his. Several seconds went by with their hands in this manner before he entwined their fingers, kissing each knuckle. Ulquiorra lay in the dark that night holding Orihime, thinking about all the songs he recommended to her and all the words he wrote to her.

 

It was sickening when he thought about it but he'd never felt this way about anyone. This redhead was the only thing that mattered to him. He didn't care about the betrayal he had experienced hearing about Nel's pregnancy or her wedding announcement. He didn't feel so pained about Cirucci's scheming ways in breaking his heart the first time. He hadn't felt this way about Loly the whore.

 

So, when Orihime left, Ulquiorra got bored. He had several tutoring sessions but they wouldn't be until later that day. He decided to go to Urahara's to pass the time.

 

He didn't miss the blond man's stare. "Cifer! I see your injuries are healing!"

 

"Urahara," Ulquiorra replied.

 

"Everything going okay?"

 

He gave a slight nod. "Somewhat, I'm still looking for an apartment," Ulquiorra said. "I'd like to purchase a book from you."

 

"A book?"

 

"I'd like the copy of _Nonsense Songs_ ," the dark-haired man stated.

 

Urahara smiled and then brought his fan out, waving the object back and forth. "I don't know Cifer. It's quite expensive. That's a first edition, hardcover in mint condition. You have a teacher's salary."

 

"It matters not. I'm going to be presenting it as a gift on Valentine's day."

 

"I keep forgetting you're not from Japan. You'd have to wait until White Day to give it to her."

 

"White Day?"

 

"Yes, anyway the book is ninety thousand yen."

 

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes at the man. "That's inflation! That's ridiculous! That's-"

 

"A collector's item which I've been declining offers on for a while. It's a favorite of Miss Inoue's," came the reply.

 

"Okay, fine. What's this White Day?"

 

There came a cackle of laughter. Ulquiorra turned his head and spied the redheaded teenager. "What?"

 

"You're such a loser that you don't know what White Day is?" Jinta was practically grabbing his stomach from laughing.

 

"I'm from Germany, not this wretched place."

 

"It's simple, loser face. Girls give guys chocolates on Valentine's day and on White Day, the guy returns the favor."

 

Ulquiorra scowled. "That's stupid, not to mention inefficient. Why not just put them both together into one holiday like the rest of the world?"

 

"Okay smartass, how does Germany celebrate it?"

 

He scoffed. "It's not a big thing in Germany because it clashes with carnival season. Most Germans are enjoying parties, events, and parades. It's normal for gifts or cards to be exchanged such as heart-shaped pralines, lingerie, roses."

 

The teenager quickly shut up.

 

It was Urahara who chuckled this time. "You said that you were still looking for an apartment? I take it you didn't have any luck like Miss Inoue."

 

Ulquiorra shook his head. "The agent said that their firm would get back to me but nothing yet. They're under the impression I'm a poor teacher."

 

"You are a poor teacher, aren't you?"

 

"I didn't come here to discuss my personal finances. I came here to purchase the book," Ulquiorra stated. "Is that your final price?"

 

The shopkeeper scratched his chin with the end of the fan, mouth pursed to the side. "I have a second edition I could let you have for cheap. It's in just-"

 

"No, I need the one that Orihime and I exchanged letters in," he explained.

 

"That's my price then."

 

Ulquiorra shook his head and told the man to keep a hold of the book. He'd be back for it next week as the owner of it. He went through the rest of his day with the students and then grocery shopping before going back to the apartment building. He ate a prepackaged meal. He played on his phone. He tried reading a dull book. He couldn't focus and it was all because Ulquiorra was frustrated.

 

It was understandable. After all, he hadn't touched himself for several weeks because it was hard to do things like that when the neighbor groaned like he was being probed. Last night had almost been the straw that broke the camel's back. He was tempted to have his way with Orihime that morning but he was too polite to even suggest it for fear of making her moan and Ginjo start in with his unholy noises.

 

So he sat there, listening to music.

 

***

 

Orihime had driven up to Kaminoyama Onsen to stay overnight at a very nice hot springs resort for her company's regional end-of-year/new year party. Traditionally they'd be two separate affairs but with the declining economy and difficulty reserving a place as nice as this, her company decided to combine them.

 

The drive there took about half an hour, and she arrived just after 17:00; enough time to check in to her room, which she was to share with two other female employees, and change into the yukata provided by the resort. The party was in a large tatami room with a stage and podium on one side.

 

After she arrived, she unpacked her bag and changed into her yukata. As she did one of her roommates arrived, and Orihime asked that she take a picture of her wearing the yukata with her phone. She stood inside their very traditional bedroom in front of a circular shoji-screened window and posed with her back to the camera, her upper torso twisted so she could look over her shoulder at it.

 

She got her phone back after the picture was taken and prepared a message for Ulquiorra, which read, " _I listened to your song in the car on the way here. I'll show you how it made me feel later. In the meantime, here is a picture of my apparel for tonight! Xoxo - O._

 

He was surprised to hear his phone chime and idly wondered if it was Nel that texted him. He picked it up off his thigh and looked at the screen. It read Orihime. His heart started beating slightly faster as he opened the message.

 

It showed her in what he thought was a seductive pose in some kind of blue and white striped robe or gown, Ulquiorra wasn't quite sure what it was. Maybe there was some special name for what she was wearing.

 

He laughed at her message and sent back the following:

 

_\- You look great. Can't you just TELL me how it made you feel?"_

 

Orihime heard her phone vibrate in her small handbag as she walked with her roommates down to the lobby and took a break to read Ulquiorra's message, blushing when she did. She was about to tap out a reply when one of her roommates called for her to keep up. The party was about to begin. She stuck her phone back in her handbag and followed the other women.

 

Once inside, everyone sat on a cushion on the floor in front on one of several long tables filling the space. Each person filled a glass and then sat, waiting for the opening ceremony to begin. The lame thing about these parties was there was so much formality involved - at first, anyway.

 

That was the problem though. Orihime sat, anxious for all the speeches to end and the toast to be made so she could write back to Ulquiorra. This was boring. She didn't care how Tanaka in the Shonai branch had so many classes per year or whatever another accomplishment was being extolled at any given moment. She discreetly held her phone and unlocked the touch screen under the table. She wasn't able to write anything to him, but she sent him a link to a video for Queen/David Bowie's _Under Pressure_. It was a classic and it succinctly summed up how she felt at the moment. She also took a quick picture of her hand on her bent knee and sent it along for no other reason than to feel close.

 

He was laying in bed when the next text popped up on his phone. Ulquiorra raised his eyebrows. It wasn't just one text but two. He opened the first one, tapping the link. When the page loaded, Ulquiorra smirked. He knew this song well, having heard it several hundred times over his life.

 

Looking up a song of his own, he sent the link to Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" as a reply.

 

When he opened the other message, with the picture attached, Ulquiorra's mood got a bit darker. She wasn't here with him so the picture of her hand made him wistful; yearning for her touch. He sent back the picture that he had told her about last night. He was standing in some tattoo shop with his fresh tattoo.

 

Orihime took a discreet peek at the link - she knew that song! She smiled to herself and opened the picture. She almost wished she hadn't as a blush painted her face pink. Still in the throes of a droning speech, she took a moment to decide what to do. Ultimately she sent back another link, this time Blackstreet's _No Diggity._ She had to force herself not to laugh as she pressed send.

 

Hmph, he thought as he looked at her message. Cheeky little thing. With a smirk, Ulquiorra sent back TLC's "Red Light Special" and then sent her a picture of his hand on his bare torso, very close to the top of his pajama pants.

 

Being that Orihime was still obliged to sit and listen to speeches, she was forced to merely look up the lyrics to the song he had sent. She nearly choked as she read them and saw the picture he had sent. A warm sensation began to grow in her belly, and sitting _seiza_ was less comfortable for not only positional, but also growing heat and humidity reasons.

 

Finally, as she sat deciding how to respond, the regional Vice President gave the final speech and a toast was raised, officially ending the opening ceremony. Everyone downed their nihonshu and then the real drinking began in earnest.

 

She put her phone on her lap and picked at the traditional multi-course meal before her. Every time she took the tiniest sip of her beer, someone would appear to her right or left and refill it to the top. There was no way for her to keep track of how much she was drinking.

 

Since she was trapped in place by groups of people on either side of her, she decided to just send Ulquiorra some pictures of the event so he'd have some idea what she was doing. She took a wide shot of the room and a picture of her food, to which she added a note, " _Hey, eroyaji, look what I get to eat!_ "

 

She smiled widely after pressing send and set her phone down, relaxing into the social atmosphere, pouring drinks for her neighbors and generally having a nice time.

 

His phone was sitting on his chest when it made noise. He picked it up but he didn't have a very good grip on it, so it dropped right onto his still bruised eye. Ulquiorra swore loudly before lifting the device off his face, glaring at it. He read her message and chuckled.

 

Was she calling him a pervert again? No that was a different word. Essie? Leche? Ecchi? No, she was calling him a dirty old man again. Ulquiorra scoffed, he'd show her how much of an eroyaji he could be.

 

He sent a picture of him with his boxers dangerously low on his hips, trimmed black pubic hair visible with the caption: _The Weeknd- Often._ Ulquiorra sent the text and waited with a smile on his face.

 

Orihime felt her phone vibrate on her lap. She knew who it was. She smiled shyly as she looked down to see something… she quickly flipped her phone over in her lap as her head snapped up, looking around to make sure no one else had seen what she had. Her eyes bulged out of her sockets and her already beer-buzzed rosy cheeks deepened in their saturation.

 

She would never be able to erase that image from her mind. She squirmed where she sat. She couldn't help the beginning feelings of arousal, despite her surroundings. She _carefully_ reopened her phone and checked the lyrics to the song he had mentioned. She scoffed. Did he think he was going to best her at this game?

 

Some of the food was cleared from her table and the partiers were now more free to move about the room and socialize. Orihime used this to her advantage to try and escape from the room, however, about every three steps she was pulled into a toast and had her glass topped off yet again. She took a selfie of herself raising a glass with two other young women, smiling cheesy grins and looking merry. Behind her was a chubby older man with a necktie tied around his head squeezing his face into the frame and making a peace sign. There was also the hand of a _much_ older man on her shoulder, his pinky finger creeping over the edge of her collar to touch the skin on her neck. She captioned the photo, "Skinship? That's what they're calling it these days…" she added an eye roll emoji and pressed send.

 

Chime. Buzz. He'd been laying there contemplating whether or not it'd be polite to send a dick pic. It wasn't classy and it would most likely offend Orihime. After all, she seemed very conservative with things like that. But this was the same woman who he'd had his hands inside of, fingering her, out in public in front of a condom machine.

 

He bit his lip when he studied the photo, not liking how the people in the frame were crowded around his woman. Ulquiorra had to tone down the jealousy. It wasn't a good look. Instead of writing a text explaining how he just wanted her home, he took a photo of the uninjured side of his face.

 

Then he sent the link to more song lyrics. This time it was Kid Ink's _Show Me_.

 

 _Oh yeah?_ Orihime was feeling the effects of liquid courage. She slowly started toward the exit again. By the time she made her way to the sliding doors, and excused herself to the restroom, she looked in the mirror, finding her face flushed and dewy from the drink and body heat of the many people at the party.

 

She locked the door. She didn't want to be near a toilet as she did what she was about to do. She lifted one side of the yukata up to her hip, exposing her underwear, and snapped a pic that framed the junction of her thighs and crotch of her panties. She added a caption, "Request and you shall receive." She sent a link as well, The Jesus and Mary Train - _Just Like Honey._ She giggled and blushed, covering her mouth with her hand, not able to believe what she had just done, and then returned to the party.

 

Okay, maybe Orihime wasn't _that_ conservative, Ulquiorra thought as he saw the new photo. He licked his lips, just imagining what he was going to do to her last night. He'd been so close to giving in to every temptation he had known in life.

 

With a small snort of doubt, Ulquiorra shook his head. He wasn't gonna let her win this round. No way was he going to let her think she won. It was risky but, he put his hand down the front of his boxers, just resting his hand on top of his cock. There was no way he was going to jerk off, no matter how turned on he was right now. Then he tapped out the following text:

 

 _\- You think I don't want to go down on you? It's what I want to do. By the way,_ Nine Inch Nails _\- Closer but I like the_ In This Moment _version better. Something about the lead singer saying those words..._

 

Orihime had left her handbag back at her seat, so she put phone inside her yukata at this point, using her ample cleavage as a pocket. It buzzed again before she even got back to the party room, causing a little shiver to run down her spine. She read. She listened. She narrowed her eyes. He had seen _nothing_ yet.

 

She tapped out a reply:

 

 _So, you think some racy lyrics and a nsfw video are going to make me tremble? Hmm? Well, you may not be entirely wrong but since we're doing this little tango, I offer you the following song:_ Salt-N-Peppa - _Push It._

 

She attached a close up of her lips puckered, opened just enough to see the wetness within.

 

Fuck. He narrowed his eyes at the newest text. Ulquiorra shrugged. If she wasn't going to cave at some pictures and songs, then he wasn't going to either.

 

_\- Come home. Let me make love to you. You have nice lips, I want them wrapped around this._

 

He sent the dick pic. Then followed that up with another text: Plain White T's - _Your Body._

 

She opened the message and closed it immediately. He had bested her. She caught a glimpse of what was there but she didn't look in great detail, plus she was surrounded by inebriated co-workers.

 

She sent a new message:

 

 _You win. I can't come home. I'm drunk. BTW, I'm saving that for later._ _P.S.:_ Prince - _Sexy MF_

 

There were times where he wished he could drive in Japan. He gave a groan of frustration. Ulquiorra had gotten himself all worked up for nothing.

 

He smirked at her text though. Who was the pervert now, O? He mused. Ulquiorra decided to up the ante a bit. At least she thought he was sexy.

 

_\- O, I'm going to call you later. Maybe we can talk. I've heard you come, aren't you curious about me? Also, Bjork - Cocoon._

 

Her reply was almost immediate. _Yes._

 

Her second reply came shortly thereafter. _I have roommates tonight. Discretion is advised._

 

Her third text came about four minutes later. She had taken a selfie of her and another girl with microphones in front of their mouths, apparently in a karaoke booth. The caption read: _Second Party!_ Her cheeks were shiny and she smiled like a fool, but she looked carefree.

 

The first text made him smirk. The second made him frown. How the hell was he supposed to use discretion when all he wanted to do was hear her. Another jolt of envy went through him at the photo. She looked so happy and alive.

 

Since she had sent him a song from a legend, he sent one simple text.

 

_\- Prince - Diamonds and Pearls_

 

Orihime pulled her phone out of her bosom without regard to her audience and read the text. She knew that song. She smirked and took a video. She didn't care that her drunken singing voice maybe sounded a bit like dying cats. She held that phone in front of her, stared it down over her microphone, and crooned, " _I made it through the wilderness, somehow I made it through. I didn't know how lost I was until I found you. You're so fine, and you're mine…._ " and let the video run until she got to the chorus of Like A Virgin and then cut it, sending it without watching it first.

 

He burst out laughing at the video. Ulquiorra knew who Madonna was, though he didn't know many of the songs. One song did stand out. He quickly searched through videos for the perfect one. Nothing seemed right. Finally, he just decided to send her words.

 

_\- I bet with the way Ginjo fucks, you are like a virgin. I'm going to make you mine soon._

 

She opened the text and smirked. He wasn't wrong, she guessed. Then she read the second sentence and a chill went through her alcohol-flushed body. Someone in the room grabbed her by the arm and announced they were going out to a third party - young people only. She smiled and followed along. At the entrance to the resort were _geta_ and overcoats for yukata for guests to wear. She shrugged one on and stepped into some geta and hobbled to a taxi stand with some girls from the party.

 

Seven minutes later she was a bar with loud music and people just buzzed enough to start dancing. Her coworkers pulled her out on the floor and she started to copy what they were doing. She had gone out to places like this a few times in the past but it was always with Uryu or Ginjo and she never felt comfortable dancing in front of them. But tonight, with the beer and the music and the fun girls and especially, the sexy, emboldening messages from Ulquiorra, she really let loose. She and the girls started taking pictures of one another dancing and giggling and being silly.

 

When Orihime was thirsty she went to the bar and found drinks already purchased for her. She turned around and raised her glass to whichever kind stranger had funded her buzz and looked at her phone, scrolling through the pictures. She found one she thought was kind of artistic and provocative. It was a profile of her face with her hair moving behind her, her face flushed and eyes half-open. Her yukata had draped open a bit showing her clavicle and a hint of cleavage.

 

She prepared a message for Ulquiorra attaching that image, with a message, _Wish you were here,_ and a link to the song that played when that picture was taken: Underworld - _Born Slippy_.

 

Orihime was beautiful. The line of the woman's neck combined with the teasing glimpse of skin was just enough to continue to drive him to madness. Ulquiorra huffed a breath and in the darkness of the room, he found the song he was looking for.

 

_We never sleep we're always holdin' hands_

_Kissin' for hours talkin' makin' plans_

_I feel like a better man_

_Just being in the same room_

 

After sending that text he quickly sent a second message. _I wish we were together, O. I want to be with you right now._

 

Orihime felt the vibration and took out her phone. She read the texts and ran out into the street, finding a taxi on the way. She rode back alone to her room at the resort and called him.

 

_Ring_

 

_Ring_

 

Why wasn't he answering?

 

_Ring_

 

She ended the call and returned the phone to her handbag, and sat in the dark feeling confused. _Maybe he was using the bathroom or something?_

 

Well, she had to get cleaned up anyway. Her yukata clung to her sweat-soaked body. She wanted to enjoy the hot springs as well. She made her way down to the women's onsen and disrobed, leaving her small bag with her phone in the locker room and going to the shower area. After she was clean, she lowered herself carefully into the scalding hot water.

 

It was bliss, for about five minutes. The combination of the alcohol and the heat were making her feel light headed. She got out and put on a fresh yukata, grabbed her handbag, and went up to her room.

 

He frowned as he glanced at the phone. It figured he dozed off for a few minutes and missed her call. It was getting late so he wasn't sure if he should return the call. Ulquiorra decided it was worth a shot. Roommates or not, he wanted to hear her voice.

 

So, he tapped her name and then the phone icon, letting it ring.

 

She answered immediately. "Hello?"

 

"O?" he murmured into the phone. "You called. Is everything okay?"

 

"Mmm," she hummed affirmatively. "I just missed you."

 

That made him smile. "You missed me? You've not been gone that long. I told you, you shouldn't have gone to this thing."

 

"It's not exactly optional," she purred. She was slurring her speech but not terribly. "And yes, I missed you. A lot."

 

Funny, she sounded a lot like the other night except not as bubbly. "You've been drinking more haven't you?"

 

"How did you figure it out?" she teased. In the darkness of her room, she felt required to keep her voice down, and it sounded breathy and secretive over the line.

 

It was hard to tell but was she-Was Orihime doing something? "I don't know maybe all the alcohol on that table in the first photo was an indication. The text you sent. Take a taxi and come back here."

 

"You know I don't carry that kind of cash around. Also, I would probably pass out on the way," she chuckled as she admitted it. "I nearly passed out in the hot spring just now."

 

He raised an eyebrow at her words. "I give you a full on view and all I get is glimpses, what's the deal?"

 

"Hey, all I got was a glimpse too, I'm not the kind of girl who sits in a banquet hall and shows off pictures of her boyfriend's wang to everyone around."

 

Ulquiorra almost choked. "Okay, I get it. No more penis photos. But I'd like to point out, you're the kind of girl who shows her underwear. I've seen those before."

 

"Well, it's not that I minded the picture but, umm.." she sounded too shy to say what she wanted to say. Then she huffed and sucked up her embarrassment, "It's just that I've never seen yours before, and I..." she couldn't finish. Or maybe she could. "I feel like seeing it in a picture before seeing it in person is cheating?"

 

"Okay, but I've felt you and I've not seen you. You were supposed to pull _them to the side_ ," he teased. "If the horse's ass next door wouldn't have pulled his bullshit you would you have done more than seen my dick last night."

 

She couldn't help but hum appreciatively at the thought. "Do you want to see it now?"

 

If he was sleepy before, Ulquiorra wasn't now. His breath hitched and he had to take a moment to compose himself. "Orihime, you have roommates remember? I'm not saying no though."

 

"I left them at the third party. I wanted to hear your voice." She didn't wait for him to give her further direction. She hadn't put panties on after her bath. She turned on the bedside lamp and opened the yukata up to her navel, and keeping her legs closed, took a picture of her triangle of soft, short cinnamon curls. She sent it.

 

When the phone buzzed, indicating he had a text, Ulquiorra took the phone away from his head. A quiet obscenity fell from his lips and he rolled over onto his stomach to keep his resolve. The worst he could do was hump the bed. "Dammit, woman. _Ich liebe dich_."

 

"I hope that means something good," she replied in a lazy voice.

 

"It does," he replied. "It's an endearment. You're going to continue to tease me?"

 

"Do you want me to?" Inspired, she opened the rest of her yukata and took a picture of her own body from her point of view as she lay on her back. She sent it. "I wish you were here," she said again.

 

Ulquiorra never really did this kind of thing because it felt cheap… Especially when Nel had sent him all kinds of pictures that were of her trying to play at being seductive but coming off as a tramp. This woman though, he thought. The lighting was right. It was just enough skin but at the same time, it wasn't. He wanted more.

 

A jolt of heated pleasure ran down his spine like an electric current. "Ich möchte dich küssen," he moaned. "I want you to be here. Fuck the neighbors. I want to make you scream."

 

She shivered. "What do you want me to do to you?" She kissed the phone and sighed.

 

He shoved his face into the pillow below him. Annoyance grabbed at his thoughts. "I want you to be here so I can have my way with you. I want you here so I can bury my face between your legs. I want you here so I can-" Ulquiorra trailed off not wanting to say the rest. It seemed so petty and trivial to want to make her moan and scream; whimper and cry out with pleasure just to show the asshole next door he was the better lover and man for the woman. "I just want you here, Orihime."

 

Orihime was feeling torn between wanting to give him what he wanted, which she couldn't actually do, and giving him what he needed. She decided on the option which was currently possible. "I want to hear you, Ulquiorra."

 

She said his name perfectly.

 

The moan that left his mouth couldn't be held back. He flipped over, shoving the boxers down with his free hand. It was just a matter of making a show for her. Ulquiorra touched the underside of his dick and hissed, feeling a small ripple of euphoria spread through his body, starting at his hips and working its way out. "It feels like cheating," he said in a seductive voice.

 

"Then stop, if you want. But I don't want you to."

 

"Mmmm," he sighed. Pale fingers wrapped around the base of his cock, slowly stroking up to the tip. "So tell me what you like. What turns you on?"

 

She could hear his voice changing and it made her lose focus. She didn't live on earth, in the room at the resort. The only thing real to her were their voices. "Your voice when you say my name. I want to hear you say it when you cum."

 

He groaned as he worked himself up slowly, listening to her words and the way she was breathing. Ulquiorra could hear it through the phone. Between their activities the night on that mountaintop road and last night, he wasn't going to last long. "Woman. O. Love," he voiced, drawing in a ragged and broken breath. That tingling in between his shoulder blades was starting. The tension in his muscles in his body was being wound tighter as he stroked the length of himself. Ulquiorra had to bite his lip to keep from embarrassing himself.

 

She called his name again. She touched herself with his name on her lips and her breathing began to match his. "Say my name," she begged in a whisper.

 

Fuck. fuck. fuck. FUCK. Hearing Orihime say his name in that seductive and pleading ways, did things to him. "Orihime," he gasped. The barrier that was keeping all that pent-up desire and bliss finally broke. Ulquiorra found his eyes closing as the force of his orgasm filtered into a single point.

 

The redheaded woman on the other end of the line, he wanted her. He kept saying her name over and over until he finally was spent, his cock twitching. "Woman."

 

"Yes, my love?" her voice answered in a sweet, soft breath.

 

That endearment made him wish that she was there, lying beside him so he could touch her, bringing her to that point he had before. He wouldn't tell her yet. Well, Ulquiorra wouldn't say those words to her in a language she could understand.

 

"Nothing, just making sure you were there. You'll be back tomorrow, yeah?" He asked. His voice was quiet but sounded too loud in the empty apartment.

 

"Nothing could stop me," she answered and yawned. "I'm sending you a present. Listen to it while you sleep and have sweet dreams," she murmured, sending him a link: Rachael Yamagata's _I Want You._ Then, barely hanging on to wakefulness, she breathed, " _Daisuki_ Ulquiorra _. Oyasumi."_

 

The line disconnected. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LANGUAGE TIME!
> 
> JAPANESE:  
> onsen - natural hot spring bath  
> yukata - cotton robe that can be worn in public, like a casual kimono.  
> geta - sandals like what Urahara wears  
> seiza - a seated position where one’s bottom sits on one’s heels , kneeling. It hurts after a few minutes if you aren’t used to it.  
> nihonshu - “sake”. The word “sake” Japanese just means “alcohol”, the rice wine people call “sake” in the West is actually called nihonshu.  
> eroyaji - a portmanteau of “erotic” and “oyaji” (old man), means dirty old man  
> Daisuki - “I love/really like you”  
> Oyasumi - “Good night”  
> GERMAN:  
> Ich liebe dich  
> \- I love you  
> Ich möchte dich küssen - I want to kiss you.


	16. We Are Strangers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are sorry.

 

He did as she said and when he woke up the next morning, Ulquiorra experienced why could only be described as an emotional hangover. He reread the texts they sent to each, feeling his face and chest bloom with an embarrassing warmth. This wasn't good. He had fallen fast and hard for this woman. He was thinking of things that he had trouble putting into words.

 

The future.

 

What would happen when his time in Japan was up? Would it be so long and thanks for all the fish? In their case, it wasn't fish but feelings and emotions. Those were better left on the shelf not to be bothered with. He hung his head as he made his coffee that morning, contemplating what he had told her last night.

 

It would be devastating for both of them if they let this continue.

 

Then again what was the harm of letting go and just accepting responsibility for his actions? So he fell in love with someone. When he left that person would move on. It was simple logic. Things didn't look hopeful though.

 

Ulquiorra gave a sigh and decided to go for a walk. He met Ginjo outside.

 

"Cifer, does Orihime know you had some bitch inside your apartment last night?"

 

The green-eyed man was determined to ignore the oaf of a man trying to worm his way under his skin.

 

"It's a shame that no one will even consider Orihime a decent tenant. Especially after what they were told about her."

 

Anger bubbled in Ulquiorra's mind. How dare this man spread rumors about her! He grit his teeth as he walked away. Maybe he'd walk around. Maybe he would kick Ginjo's ass. He would have no chance of winning but just the idea of taking down the other man felt liberating.

 

After wandering aimlessly through the streets, he found himself at Urahara's, looking through the window at the dark interior. Ninety thousand yen was a lot of money for a book. Ninety thousand yen wasn't even close to the amount of money he would spend to stay by O's side.

 

"Cifer, you going to stand there all day?"

 

The blond shopkeeper broke him out of his thoughts, and Ulquiorra looked at the man. "Why would I come in?"

 

"I have a proposition for you."

 

_***_

 

Orihime drove home wearing the darkest pair of sunglasses she could find at Family Mart. The smell of the fried chicken near the registers made her gag, and she had to pull over once in Nan'yo City to a Lawson's and vomit.

 

By the time she arrived home all she wanted to do was take an aspirin and go to bed.

 

She was not in luck.

 

"Hey, Princess, you look a little green. Party too hard last night?"

 

Orihime just grumbled. She couldn't speak without feeling like her head was going to explode. She fumbled with her key in the lock as Ginjo sauntered over like some kind of greasy reptile.

 

"Careful Princess, I think your boyfriend may have made a mess of your bed while you were out. I could hear him fucking some bitch through the walls last night like his life depended on it. Sorry, you had to hear it from me, though."

 

Orihime's stomach roiled, and she leaned over and dry-heaved. It was enough to send Ginjo scurrying back into his apartment.

 

She managed to get inside and found a glass of water and a painkiller. She took it, drinking the water slowly so as not to upset her stomach, then peeled off her clothes and fell into bed in her underwear and bra.

 

She slept for more than half of the day.

 

The apartment was silent when he got home. Ulquiorra took note of the green Mazda in the parking lot. Orihime was home. Ulquiorra didn't have to look far to find the woman. She was asleep in the bed. Her complexion was sickly looking and all he could think was it served her right for getting so drunk. He knew how to minimize the effects of a hangover.

 

Gently, as not to jostle her, Ulquiorra climbed into the bed beside her, brushing the hair from her face.

 

Orihime growled softly, "What time is it?" and threw an arm over her eyes.

 

"Late," he replied. "You look like hell."

 

"I feel like it, too. Ginjo said you had a friend over. I almost barfed on him," she said without opening her eyes.

 

Ulquiorra chuckled. "He accused me of the same thing. I guess I was a bit vocal last night. I hope you've learned your lesson about alcohol."

 

"A lesson I can't exactly remember… I know I went to a second party and I vaguely recall dancing, but after that everything is gone."

 

He was surprised to hear this. So she didn't remember their texts or the phone call? Ulquiorra dug his phone out of his pocket and the pulled up his text messages. Nudging Orihime's arm he held the phone out to her.

 

She turned her head to see what he was doing, narrowing her eyes to allow her bleary eyes a chance to focus. They did. "Oh, god, I didn't say anything embarrassing, did I?"

 

He gave a one-shoulder shrug. It was a casual gesture. If she didn't remember then he wasn't going to relive the events that unfolded. "What does oyasumi mean?"

 

She smiled with her eyes closed. "It means 'good night'."

 

"No other than the naked pics you sent, nothing embarrassing was said."

 

Orihime's eyes opened and her eyes darted toward him. "What did you say?" she asked in a dangerous tone of voice. "What?" she repeated, still unable to believe what he was trying to tell her. She threw her hand out toward his phone in an attempt to take it from him.

 

He snatched it away, holding it out of her reach. "You don't remember any of the texts you sent? Any of the ones I sent?" Ulquiorra teased. "Ecchi."

 

Orihime slapped herself in the face and dragged her hand down, pulling her lower eyelids and lip down with it. "Ugh, I remember some of it now… Oh wait!" she popped upright and grabbed the bedside table with her phone, an evil grin spreading over her teeth.

 

She entered her passcode and pulled up her incoming messages, looking for those with attachments. She saw the one she was looking for. "I believe I was saving this. Turns out it's wise to keep potential blackmail materials."

 

Two could play this game.

 

"Yeah? I guess I should save these pics then." Ulquiorra said, holding the phone where Orihime could see it.

 

She studied the photo for a minute with a serious expression, then moved her eyes to his and back to the picture, raising her eyebrows a bit and saying, "Hmmm, I'd do me. Maybe I should teach an erotic photography class while I'm at it. That is some quality composition."

 

She was trying to unbalance him. He did not respond. She did not know how far to take it. It was in that moment that she realized all she was wearing was her underwear and the blanket that had been covering her was now pooled around her waist. Slowly, so as not to make it seem like she was trying to hide, she laid back down on the bed and covered herself. She was not as sneaky as she had hoped.

 

He smirked, dropping his phone on the bed. "Inoue, are you telling me you don't remember the phone call we engaged in where you demanded me to say your name as I came?"

 

Her eyelashes swept her cheeks slowly as her eyes fluttered open and her dark eyes drifted towards his. She bit her lip, tasting it, hoping to taste him on it. She tasted only stale beer. She didn't remember.

 

"I need a shower," she answered, and got up, marching right past him and grabbing a towel before making her way to the bathroom.

 

He had pulled the same move on her once. He watched her round ass leave the room, contemplating whether or not to chase after Orihime. He decided not to. Hours ago, he was having an emotional crisis over this woman. It wouldn't make sense to take things further than they had.

 

Besides, Ulquiorra hadn't told her the news and information that he got from Urahara's. So he waited until she came back, deciding to change clothes because sweats were much more comfortable than jeans. Then the man gathered their dirty laundry. He would do it tomorrow or sometime this week.

 

Orihime came out of the shower feeling like a new woman. She sighed loudly as she walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She made her way past Ulquiorra, who sat in the living room on his chair, apparently ignoring her. She noticed that he was dressed to stay in, so she followed suit. After toweling off her hair and putting on her florally vanilla lotion, she put on a pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt and came out into the living room.

 

He watched her out of the corner of his eye. Ulquiorra smirked then went back to reading an article that he absolutely no interest in. He was just keeping busy. "What, not into stealing people's clothes today?"

 

"No, I just wanted to be comfortable. Is something interesting?" she asked, eying what he was looking at.

 

"Not terribly, just reading the predictions for the Bundesliga next season," he replied. Ulquiorra glanced up at her. "Urahara told me Ginjo got you barred, banned, blacklisted… I don't remember the word but no one will allow you to-" He struggled to find the word. When he couldn't he waved a hand. "Ginjo has been spreading nasty rumors about you. Urahara has set me up with a gentleman that will let us stay in one of the apartments he owns. It's small. Two bedrooms but small. I said we only needed one bedroom."

 

A pleased smile grew on her face and she made her way over to squeeze next to him on the chair's arm. "Well, I normally wouldn't speak like this, but fuck Ginjo and thank you and Urahara. I can't wait to get out of here and away from him." She kissed him on top of his head and put her arm around his shoulders, "I missed you yesterday, I remember that much. It was fun, though. Can you believe I've never been dancing before? I thought I was pretty good."

 

"Dancing? Like you were in a gaggle of bodies dancing? That kind of dancing?" Ulquiorra asked. "I know you missed me, you said as much in as many text messages." He used one hand to wave his phone slightly.

 

He enjoyed how her body felt next to his. Orihime radiated a warmth that seemed to banish all the chill from the room. "I am surprised, however, that the carpet matches the drapes, so to speak."

 

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Yes, I mean that kind of dancing. And you thought that this was a dye job? If it was I would have never chosen this color."

 

Ulquiorra nodded. "It looked too natural to be a fake color. It's a pretty color though. Do you remember anything else from last night or is it all a blur still?"

 

"Um, thanks? And bits are coming back to me but I doubt I'll ever have a clear memory of the entire night."

 

"If you don't I could always give you a play by play of how you talked to me on the phone," he smirked and then pulled up a music video. The preview had Orihime's face in it.

 

"Oh dear. Oh, oh no. I am such an idiot. Do I really look like that?" She covered her mouth, aghast.

 

He threw his head back and laughed at her embarrassment. It was cute. "You sound like an angel… or demon," he commented playfully. "It was the sweetest music to my ears.."

 

She rolled her eyes, her mouth still covered. "You are full of baloney. I know I sing like someone stepped on a rubber chicken when I drink."

 

He raised an eyebrow at this and looked at her like she had gone mad. "Rubber chickens? That sounds horrifying. Why would anyone? That must be-I cannot comprehend this." Ulquiorra shook his head. "Urahara said that we could look at the place next week and see if we'll take it."

 

"I can already tell you what my answer will be."

 

He nodded his head. Ulquiorra already knew the answer would be a resounding yes from both of them. And almost a week later, on a Saturday morning, the couple stood in an empty apartment on the second floor of a clean looking building.

 

"This place is huge, Ulquiorra. What were you thinking about?"

 

Urahara had told him the place was probably small but Orihime was right. It was larger than their current place but smaller than what he would have liked.

 

"I can see that you don't agree, but you have to understand that this place is significantly larger than any dwelling I've ever lived in," she said, then paused in thought for a moment and continued, "Actually, you would not understand, would you? There's a lot you don't know about me."

 

He gave her an irritated glance. They had not had sex yet. They'd just fooled around a little, keeping their pants on every intimate moment they had together. Ulquiorra was becoming agitated with the situation but he could understand. He didn't want to deal with Ginjo either. "And?" he stated. "The same goes for you."

 

"Hey, don't get defensive, it was just an observation. And this place is great, I was just giving you a hard time for calling it small."

 

He wanted to stick his tongue out at her but she was right. The place was great compared to the dingy and dark hell hole they were currently living in. "When can we move? I'd like to get away from your ex-boyfriend as soon as I can."

 

"Today. Yesterday. Tomorrow. I will make it work."

 

***

 

They moved in several days later. Ulq felt his phone buzz in his pocket. The calls started early that morning and just grew in frequency. He'd checked it a couple of times. The screen always said the same thing.

 

Nelliel.

 

He did not want to talk to Nel. What could they have to say to each other? He kept declining the call, sending bullshit excuses in reply.

 

_\- Busy._

_\- At work._

_\- Driving!_

 

After the tenth call, Ulq took a break from unpacking and moving boxes. He made sure Orihime wasn't around and put it on speaker when he answered the call. "What is so important that you need to pester me?"

 

"You're cranky."

 

"I am not cranky, Nel. I'm trying to move into a new apartment," Ulquiorra said. "Not that you'd understand."

 

"I understand fine. I actually moved out of our old place and in with Grimm and Bazz. Their rent is cheaper and the three of us split it," his former flame said. "You should come back and then we can split the rent four ways."

 

Ulquiorra snorted. More like have a four-way but he didn't say this. When they were in New York, Nel's friends mentioned something about an orgy. Everyone laughed while Nel blushed furiously. There might have been some truths to that conversation. "What did you want Nelliel? I'm busy if you haven't caught on."

 

"Loly wanted to know how you were doing."

 

"Great, did you tell her that-"

 

"I said you were still single and loving life Tokyo… That is where you live right?"

 

He sighed.

 

"It's Japan, whatever. You're too far away from your family and friends."

 

"I've made friends here and-"

 

"You're too far away from me."

 

Great, they were going to go over this old argument. Ulquiorra pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to lose his temper. It was a chore to deal with this.

 

"Nel," he fumed. "We've been over this many times."

 

"But I miss you, Ulqui. Grimm and Bazz are fun but they're not you. They're not level-headed or rational. They're hot-headed-"

 

"You're the one who chose them over me."

 

"You walked away first! You left me!" Nel spat at him.

 

"Ulquiorra? Is something wrong?"

 

This was not what he needed at this moment. He didn't need Orihime adding fuel to the fire but it was too late. Nel heard the redhead speak. "Who is that? Is that the whore from before? What's her name?"

 

Ulquiorra ended the call and looked up as Orihime came into view. "Nothing is wrong," he said. "Just someone bothering me."

 

"Who?"

 

"Nelliel. My former girlfriend. It's nothing, O. She's just being-She's pregnant and gets crazy at times." Ulquiorra hoped that would be explanation enough.

 

"She's pregnant?" Orihime looked like she might be sick.

 

He nodded. "It's not mine," Ulquiorra said, holding up his hands like he was surrendering. "She says it's one of her lovers. I've been here since March. She called me a couple months ago saying she was pregnant."

 

"Are you 100% sure though?" She sounded a lot less apprehensive but still worried.

 

"I trust Nel," Ulquiorra paused, "Trust is a bad word… I-what is the word..." He began to mumble different words trying to find the right one but nothing came to him. "Confidence! I have confidence that it's not mine. I did not sleep with Nel before I left… A month before I left. I've not had sex in almost a year."

 

Orihime's eyes widened in disbelief. "I'm sorry…"

 

He gave her a quizzical look. "Why would you be sorry? It was my own choice, Orihime."

 

She nodded. "Anyway, why was she calling you now?"

 

"She wants me to come back and live with her and her harem. I have no intention of going back there to be used by anyone," Ulquiorra stated. "Sometimes I think that's all I was. My family has money. Nel, Loly, Cirucci, they all came from less fortunate ones."

 

"... I'm less fortunate…". She looked at him, waiting for his reaction.

 

Ulquiorra could have kicked himself in the ass. It seemed like he was constantly saying the wrong thing around Orihime. "You're different from Nel. You're not asking to buy things like jewelry or drinks at a pub or clothes, the expensive kind. You even went out of your way and paid for coffee the day we met. You didn't have to do that. It doesn't matter if you're from a background where your parents had less or your family had less..." He trailed off seeing her face.

 

"I'm an orphan, Ulquiorra."

 

He thought he couldn't dig himself into a deeper hole, he was wrong. Of course, he was wrong. Why would he be right about anything today? "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Like you said when we looked at the apartment, we don't know much about each other. We're strangers."

 

The impact of this thought was almost heart-wrenching because he knew practically nothing about Orihime. He knew how she laughed or how she acted when tickled but he didn't know a damn thing about her background.

 

"You're being kind of dramatic, don't you think? Where we came from is important but not as much as who we are now. We can learn history over time." She smiled and busied herself folding towels.

 

"I don't think I'm being dramatic. What if you find out I have a quirk that really bothers you or-What if you do something that I can't stand? That's important things to find out before committing to a relationship," he countered. "Like what if I have too many t-shirts or you have too many-See, I don't even know what you could possibly like that you would have too many of."

 

She threw a towel at him. "You're funny."

 

He sighed, catching the towel before it had the opportunity to cover his head. This was entirely a problem for him. "You fell in love with words, not a person. Maybe the idea of the person but not me. You fell for U.C., the cynical, sarcastic bastard."

 

"You don't have a clue." She shook her head. "You think we're not already in a relationship." She ignored the stupid comment about U. C.

 

Ulquiorra refolded the towel and stared at Orihime, unimpressed with her words. "Are we in a relationship? Are we labeling this a relationship? We sleep together. We fool around. I'm not dating you. I-We never agreed on dating. Fucking, somewhat. Dating, no."

 

"Oh, is that so? We never exactly agreed on fucking either. I guess both of us are laboring under false pretenses." She calmly walked to the other room, then called out, "which bedroom do you want?"

 

He let her walk off. Ulquiorra closed his eyes and internally cursed Nel with everything in his arsenal of bad words. He wanted to tell her whatever room she was in but it seemed like a fruitless endeavor. Orihime sounded like she was completely done with him. "I'll take the smaller room. You can have the bigger one."

 

"Ok. Thanks," she said, sweet as pie, then marched into the room and slammed the door behind her. 


	17. Hyperventilate

He was fucking miserable.

 

_Fucking. Miserable._

 

If he could rewind time, Ulquiorra would have done so. He would have never told Orihime about this apartment. He would have just given into her, regardless if her ex was next door or not. He wouldn't have answered Nel's call. While he could hear her moving around the apartment, humming and talking to herself, he stayed in his room, listening to music and pouting like a scolded child.

 

She had been right, but he wanted to point out the minor detail of, _yes_ , they did agree to have sex. Not in so many words but she said she was willing. It was stupid. They had lived in this stupid place for the past four days, and he avoided her. His bedroom was by the entrance, so it did not take much effort to come and go as he pleased all while evading Orihime.

 

A week ago this whole insignificant argument started all over comments he made about the size of the flat. He figured if he lived in a place the size of a shoebox, this flat would be a palace.

 

He couldn't hear anything out in the apartment, so he stuck his head out of the door. It looked like the coast was clear. Ulquiorra was on a mission. He had something he had to do today. He'd called Urahara's shop and talked to the man about what they had discussed. The dark-haired male was going to purchase _Nonsense Songs_ for Orihime. It was to be delivered to her at work, but he wasn't sure what her shifts were like, so he told Urahara to ask if she came in. He wasn't sure how things worked, but he also contemplated flowers and all kinds of other gifts to apologize.

 

It seemed like all he did was fuck up and apologize only to turn around and screw up again. How many times had he unintentionally hurt Orihime? How many times had Ulquiorra lashed out at her?

 

With Nel, it didn't matter. He didn't recognize that he was being an asshole. Besides, she seemed to relish the attention he gave to her whether good or bad.

 

On his way to the shop, Ulquiorra made sure he had the one final part of the gift. It was a letter. He didn't want to write it, but he knew that if they were to continue on this path, one of them was going to go off on the deep end and it'd be too much to try to repair.

 

He called a truce, a cease-fire. He just wanted to be friends with her if he couldn't be her lover. Like the dumb ass Ulquiorra was, he included songs at the bottom of his apology note. He would slip this into the cover of the book and be done with it.

  
***

 

Orihime was biding her time, waiting for him to come to his senses. A day passed, and nothing happened. Then another day and the next. Why was he so stubborn? They had teased and flirted and screwed around, but they never brokered a deal relative to sex, and here he was stomping around and moping like it was owed to him. Who the hell did he think he was?

 

And what was this nonsense he had spouted off about not being in a relationship? He hadn't balked when she referred to him as her boyfriend last week. They had pet names for each other. The cared for one another. He wanted her to fly to Germany to meet his parents, for gods' sake! Why did he have to make it so complicated? She sighed, and for the first time in a long time, she sat before her brother's shrine and prayed. She told him all about that stupid eroyaji who talked smooth but was really just after one thing.

 

A week after Ulquiorra's temper tantrum, she went to work like any other day. She hadn't slept well. She had indigestion. She was mad that Ulquiorra kept hiding out and that they were still just mysterious roommates ignoring each other. She had had it.

 

Ulquiorra concluded his business with the bookstore and was returning to the apartment when his luck ran out. He couldn't avoid her this time. He only meant to slip into the kitchen for some water. He saw her standing in their shared living space. She looked mad as any scorned woman would be. This was going to be hard to do.

 

So he did what he usually would have done. Ulquiorra ignored her.

 

"So, Roomie, do anything interesting this week?" she asked with faux casualness.

 

He let his eyes slide in her direction. Ulquiorra still didn't say anything. He reached into the cupboard and got a glass down, filling it with water. He kept his back to her. If he didn't have to look at her, he could disregard the problem. It was that simple.

 

Orihime was done with his bullshit. Without a word, she walked to his room and stood in the doorway. If he wanted to do this the hard way, so be it.

 

Relief spread through him. She was on her way out. That was a good thing, except he didn't hear the door open or close. Finishing his drink, Ulquiorra put the cup down and then walked in the direction of his room, only to stop. She was blocking his door. "You're in my way," he said politely.

 

"I know. I intend to remain in your way until we sort a few things out."

 

"What could we have to sort out? We figured out all the budgeting things and decided that we would each purchase our own items," Ulquiorra stated matter of factly. "What more could be sorted out? I stay out of your way; you stay out of mine."

 

Her resolve was rapidly deteriorating. In her head, she had rehearsed giving him a speech about dealing with what is in front of him and not letting stupid things ruin good ones. But looking him in the eyes and seeing nothing reflect back from them but cold indifference shook her. She shook her head and went to her room and started packing a bag.

 

He almost growled as she pushed past him. This was getting on his nerves. He wasn't sleeping. Ulquiorra could barely stomach food. He wasn't performing as a well as he should have been. She was always on his mind. It was making him sick. This whole being in love thing was making him ill. Okay, she wanted to bother him, then he'd return the favor. He stomped through the apartment to her room. "Where are you going?" he asked when he saw what she was doing.

 

"What do you care? We're just two ships passing in the night, remember?"

 

Her analogy confused him, and Ulquiorra tilted his head. "You wanted to talk. Let's talk."

 

"No. You're right. Everything is sorted out. I'm just some whore that splits the bills and buys her own things. No reason to concern yourself." She hadn't finished packing, but she didn't want to break down in front of him, so she zipped her duffel bag and pushed past him to the front door.

 

"I never called you a whore. You're cherry-picking words again."

 

"You didn't. She did. And you let her. I know where I stand, Ulquiorra. You made that clear that day." She opened the door and stepped into the hall.

 

Oh, he knew what this was about. This was over the phone call. He had to swallow his pride, didn't he? He had said as much when he wrote that one letter to her. Ulquiorra took one step, then another and soon he was out in the hall with Orihime. He grabbed her wrist, holding her in place so that she couldn't leave him. "Nel's projecting. She's the one who lives with two men. She's the one who is hurt because I found someone. You have no clue what you mean to me Orihime. You have no idea. I-" He couldn't say it.

 

She would not look at him. There was no way she would be able to survive the day if she did. "I do. You told me. We have no relationship. I was a piece of ass that you sweet-talked into fooling around with. It was my mistake. I'll take responsibility." She pulled her wrist from his grasp. "I have a train to catch."

 

His throat was dry. It was hard for him to swallow. Ulquiorra realized that he contradicted himself a lot. He played on a seesaw of thoughts going from one end and then the other. He said one thing while he did another. His actions didn't speak louder than his words. "Nel's opinions don't matter to me. I love you. Du bist meinem Herzen. You are my heart."

 

She turned around to look at him with pure agony in her eyes. "That's really low, Ulquiorra. You would say anything? Even that?" She wiped her eyes before the hot tears forming there could fall. She opened her mouth to say something else, but paused, then seemed to compose herself for a second. "You know, for someone who denies being affected by his ex's opinions you seem to be rather hung up on them." She turned and started going down the stairs.

 

Ulquiorra stood there for a moment before he followed her. "I am not hung up on Nel, Orihime. I cant-You were never a whore to me. You were never a plaything. I'm afraid to get hurt. I told you this. I explained everything about me in those letters. Don't go, please. Yes, I know I've been an ass; a dickhead. I deserve whatever anger or negative feelings you have toward me. I own up to it. I'm not going to let you leave. I'll walk after you. I'll chase after you."

 

His voice cracked on the last sentence, but he took a deep breath, trying to maintain a composure. "I took the being an island thing too far."

 

She kept walking. "And who is speaking now? U. C.? Or Ulquiorra? You say you're not the same person; then you say you are. I don't know what to believe. Then you say you'll chase after me? Mr. Whoever you are, you had a week to do that, and all you did was run away. I know I'm nothing to you. You said it yourself. I also know when I'm just getting in the way and being a burden. I don't want to be that." She was at her car, trying to get the damn door unlocked.

 

Ulquiorra caught up to her, and turned her around, pinning her against the vehicle. "I am a human contradiction. I'm full of them. I know this. I say one thing and do the other. It confuses the fuck out of me but guess what? You're the only person who has seen this side of me. I fucked up. I am sorry. I apologize. What more do you want?"

 

He sighed, "U.C. is confident. He's certain of his words, and he has a purpose. Ulquiorra Cifer is an idiot who stands in front of people all day reciting the fucking ABCs." He cupped her face and leaned forward, kissing her hard. He wanted to make sure that he was conveying all the pent-up emotions he had in that kiss.

 

 _Crack._ "How dare you," Orihime snarled as he pulled away, Ulquiorra's hand slowly coming to cover his reddening cheek. "There are not two separate people living inside you. I have only ever known the one you: the one I _did_ fall in love with. Don't you dare try to tear him in two."

 

Ow. She had slapped him on the same side of his face that Ginjo had injured. "Fine. You clearly have your opinion about me that I can't change. You wanted to sort things out with me. You have a chance. You just wanted to lash out at me because I hurt your feelings."

 

"For someone who gets so bent out of shape about other people having opinions about him, you sure don't seem to mind forming opinions about me. I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to reach out. I wanted to be with you and start a life with you! You talk to your ex for two fucking minutes, and suddenly I am just somebody to keep around for "fucking". Well, I will tell you—" she started to hyperventilate.

 

This was not good. The last time this happened, she was upset because of Ginjo. Ulquiorra really didn't know what to do. He was afraid to touch her again for fear of being slapped. "O, you gotta breathe. In and out slowly. Focus on something. It doesn't have to be me. Just focus on the pussycat and her bat. Focus on the pea-green boat. Focus on Roderick Usher. I'm not worth it to get this upset. I don't want you to leave, but I can't stop you."

 

She fell into the slushy snow at her feet and just sat in it. She looked pathetic and weak. She was a burden. A mistake. She was never meant to be born. If she hadn't come along her parents would never have had to turn to the lifestyles they ended up dying from. Her mother was a whore. She was no better. She was nothing. She killed her brother. It was all her fault. The world started closing in on her. Her hearing faded into only her own racing heartbeat. Her vision went black. Her nightmare was over.

 

Ulquiorra didn't care if his clothes were getting wet. He knelt in front of her, gathering the redhead into his arms. If he could help her, it'd be worth getting slapped again… maybe… Hopefully, she aimed for the other side of his face the next time. He stroked her back and head in a comforting way, whispering German to her, not knowing if she was paying attention or not. This wasn't good. This was not good. The dark-haired man had been careless with another person. It was this exact reason why he didn't want to be involved with anyone. He always ended up hurting them somehow.

 

Now there was probably no way to fix their relationship, friendship, whatever they were. "O? Inoue? Orihime? Woman?"

 

This was all his fault. 


	18. It'll Take Dynamite To Make Me Leave

She woke up. She didn't know where she was. She had never been here before. She felt heavy. Her head hurt and her throat was painfully dry. She opened her eyes and shut them, trying to see something that wasn't there, but not really knowing what it was she was looking for. Had she passed out?

 

He'd called Urahara. The man had Tessai come. They'd taken her to a hospital. Ulquiorra was in a daze the entire time. Someone came to speak to him, and the German shook his head. This wasn't the time. Tessai was the one who talked to the doctors. He just stayed by Orihime's side, snapping at anyone who tried to tell him to leave. It was all his fault. He caught some medical terms but not enough to understand what was going on.

 

When the big man came back into the room, he looked displeased. "She'll be okay," he said. "They may keep her a day or two, just to see how she's breathing. Hypocapnia and alkalosis."

 

"What's that?" Ulquiorra asked not taking his eyes off the woman.

 

"It's a depletion of carbon dioxide and then an overabundance of something else in the blood," Tessai answered. "They'll want you to settle the bill-"

 

"Thank you, you can return to Urahara's."

 

Two days later, Urahara arrived. "Cifer, I didn't know you were here. Don't they-"

 

"Leave," Ulquiorra stated, not looking at the man. He was tired. He was worried and he was just about done with people interfering.

 

"You should go home, get a shower, maybe a nap."

 

"You should go to hell!" the green-eyed man shouted, finally looking at something that wasn't Orihime. His eyes were bloodshot and he was a rumpled mess. It was clear, he was in a bad emotional state. "You-Just leave. We're fine."

 

"I'll sit with Miss Inoue. Please, you have to take care of yourself."

 

"No, this is my fault. I'm not leaving her. I have to take responsibility for my actions." Ulquiorra scoffed then turned his attention back to the redhead. The staff said everything was fine but they were keeping her sedated just to ease the trauma. They said it would wear off, eventually.

 

Whatever. She was resting and that was all that was important.

 

"Cifer."

 

"What?" he spat.

 

"Go home. Go get a cup of coffee."

 

"GET OUT!"

 

Orihime coughed. It hurt. She tried to speak. That hurt worse, but she figured if she got something to drink that would resolve on its own. Her voice sounded hoarse and deep to her own ears as she asked, "Water?"

 

Ulquiorra turned and looked at Orihime. Had she said something? He ignored Urahara and focused on her, waiting to see if she spoke again.

 

"Water," She croaked.

 

He scrambled looking around for the cup of water one of the nurses had brought in. It already had a straw in it. Ulquiorra almost spilled it. "Can you hear me Orihime?"

 

She nodded a bit and turned her face toward to straw.

 

The man carefully placed the straw in between her lips. "You're in the hospital," he told her quietly, not caring if Urahara was still in the room or not. "You blacked out."

 

She drank small sips but was unwilling to release the straw from her mouth. Instead of addressing his statement, Orihime looked up at Ulquiorra's eyes for a brief moment and then looked back down to the cup to at least acknowledge him.

 

He swallowed. At least she seemed to be okay. "Are you feeling okay? I can get a doctor or someone in here...I-"

 

She let her head fall again and closed her eyes. "I feel tired."

 

"That's normal. They gave you something to sleep. I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

 

She shook her head. She knew that what caused this happened much before she ever met Ulquiorra. She wasn't going to let him shoulder this one. "No, it isn't."

 

He sighed. "Yes, it is. I've been thinking about this. I'm gonna move out. You can keep the apartment. I've found a hotel… well, I found a place. I'll continue to pay my half of the bills until you can find another roommate."

 

"Ulquiorra, you aren't listening. You may have been the trigger this time, but this,” she gestured to herself in a hospital gown, “This is not your fault. This is mine. It's my parents. It's my whole life."

 

"O, I don't understand. I upset you. I pushed you until you--You're not your parents," Ulquiorra stated. His brows were furrowed and he was looking at her with a concerned expression. "You're my O. This isn't your fault."

 

She pressed her eyes closed. "So you will leave for what purpose, exactly? I don't understand how that's solving anything," she sputtered on something then glanced at him.

 

He wanted to say so much to her. "I hurt you. I was an asshole. I pushed you away. I was judgemental when I had no right to be. I'm not perfect," Ulquiorra said. He brushed something off her forehead but really it was an excuse to touch her. "I don't want to cause you any more pain. I don't want to go through the past couple days again."

 

"Well," she coughed, "No one is perfect. Some are just less perfect than others." Then she smiled wistfully and glanced at the wall, the memory of calling him perfect during the drunken phone call they had before they moved out of his old place resurfacing. “I remember now. Sorry."

 

This woman was too selfless. She sacrificed too much for the sake of others. "You never have to apologize to me. I'm the one who should be begging for your forgiveness. If you want me to leave, I will. If you want me to stay, I will."

 

"I should not have told you all those pretty words. I chased you away. You don't need to feel obligated to stay, Ulquiorra. I don't know who I thought I was kidding anyway." She smiled again, this time at him.

 

"I don't feel obligated to stay, Orihime. I want to stay because-" He took a second to think of what he wanted to say. "I've sat here and thought about a lot over the past two days. I want to stay with you because I love you. I want to get to know you and who you are."

 

She was quiet for a long moment. "You love me?"

 

"I do. I may not understand it. I've tried to rationalize it but yes, O, I do."

 

She brought the heel of her hand to her face and pressed on the side of her nose with it, trying to make herself not cry. She was unsuccessful. She wiped hard at her tears with it and sucked in a deep breath. She nodded. "I don't want you to leave," she finally admitted.

 

A tiny smile crossed his face. "I'm going to go talk to someone about letting you go home. Okay? We can discuss things there if you'd like."

 

"Ok," she whispered, drifting back to sleep.

  
***

 

The doctor gave the go-ahead for Orihime to go home. Ulquiorra paid the bill; he didn't say anything to her about it. Urahara dropped them off at the apartment. The blond man tried to help Ulquiorra get Orihime into the place but the dark-haired man wouldn't allow it. There couldn't be any distractions. They had a lot to talk about and iron out.

 

When they entered the apartment, Ulquiorra helped Orihime take off her shoes in the genkan. He noted her duffle sitting there. Had Tessai brought it here? He guided the redhead into the living area and sat her down on their second-hand couch.

 

Most of the furniture, except for Ulquiorra's bed (he had purchased it new because the futon that his first apartment provided wasn't comfortable) were hand-me-down items, nice and sturdy but worn in. All the items served a purpose; functionality over form.

 

Taking a deep breath, he knelt in front of the woman, gazing into her dark eyes. Ulquiorra reached up and gently brushed her cheek with his fingers. "O, I'm serious. I've thought everything over. I'm want to repair us, to fix what we have."

 

She searched his viridian eyes, looking for truth but finding only sorrow. Her cheeks colored and she offered him a minuscule nod, inviting him to continue. He had been the one to cast her aside; he would have to be the one to bridge the gap.

 

"You have to understand that I'm used to people befriending me and using me. I've had several lovers do this. I was only trying to protect myself. I did not realize this would harm you," Ulquiorra stated. "With Nel, I let her get under my skin. Concerning Ginjo, I let him get to me and those two influenced my thoughts about you when their opinions did not matter."

 

"I don't understand. Nel is not me, Ginjo is not me."

 

"You're right, they're not you. You are you. You're not a burden to me. You're someone I've come to care about, deeply," he replied. "I don't care about your past. I only care about your future."

 

"That's easy to say but harder to execute. Listen, I may be kind of a simple person, I think so, anyway. But my past isn't. You seem quite a bit more complicated than me," she paused and laughed to convey that she didn't object to the idea, "but I don't know about your past, except that it doesn't seem to want to leave you alone. I can't compete with that. I don't have the strength."

 

He sighed. "My past is in another country. My past is trivial. If you can let go of your past, I'll let go of mine. Please, O. All I'm asking for is one last chance. No expectations. No demands."

 

She worried her lip with her teeth, still holding eye contact. Softly laying a hand on his cheek, she brought her forehead to rest against his. "I want this to work. I want it more than anything. I don't think I can take what happened before again. You have to promise me. It's all in or not in. Either you want to be with me or you don't. No more hot and cold."

 

Ulquiorra took a deep breath and then nodded slightly because their heads were pressed together. "I don't think I could deal with all that again. It might drive me to get another tattoo and they hurt," he said with a small smile. "I'm sorry, Orihime."

 

"Ok. We start again. I'm Orihime Inoue. I'm twenty-four years old. I'm a retail worker and art teacher. I have no assets. I have no debts. I have no parents. I am a survivor of child abuse. I watched my brother die in my arms. That's about it. Your turn."

 

He gave her a small kiss before he started saying anything. "I'm Ulquiorra Cifer. I'm twenty-six. I'm a teacher. I'm an only child. I have some assets. My parents live in Germany and I love you."

 

She began to cry. "I love you, Ulquiorra," she breathed, then threw her arms around his neck and held on tight.

 

With another deep breath, he hugged her back. "Can we move my bed into your room?" Ulquiorra asked after several moments.

 

She nodded into his neck.

 

"I mean if we're going to do this, we might as well continue to sleep together and I don't mean--you know. I mean holding you at night and I missed your snoring," he murmured. Ulquiorra realized he was rambling off and sighed, burying his face into her hair. "You scared me, you know."

 

"I'm sorry. I was scared too." She turned her face toward his cheek and kissed it. "Was it the passing out? Did my eyes roll back? That's not a pretty look," she laughed.

 

He pulled back slightly to look at Orihime. "It was you leaving. Everything else just piled on top of that. I told you I was terrified of this. I still am but… You leaving scared me more."

 

"If you don't push me away, I don't think I'll ever leave."


	19. Oral Exam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh... TBB is back; that stands for Thirsty Bitch Brigade. This chapter... well, it contains smut.

It was nice to wake up beside her again. The sun was rising, illuminating their room.

 

Their room. Not her room or his room… _Their room_. It was an idea that spread warmth through his body. It appeared that he needed it today. He looked through the balcony door, seeing fresh snowfall.

 

He was going to have to walk through that, he thought with a sigh. Ulquiorra had classes today and several students to tutor, who were in cram school. He didn't understand why these kids worked and studied so hard. For now, though, he was going to snuggle closer to this soft and warm woman.

 

It'd been seven days since Orihime came home. Every night they cooked dinner together. They snuggled on the couch and watched television or read. It was nice. It was domestic. It was something Ulquiorra could get comfortable with, the idea of this being a long-term thing. It wasn't like with Nel where he had been starting to dread each day.

 

Ulquiorra reached out, feeling the redhead's curves under the blanket they shared. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the scent of vanilla and jasmine. He'd come to associate that smell with her.

 

This entire thing was _nice_.

 

Orihime was in love. She was in love with this place, she was in love with this life, she was in love with this man. She loved it. She really did. Truly. She did. She wasn't frustrated at all. Not even a little bit...

 

She shifted in bed as she felt his hand on her side, then he pulled it away and smelled her hair. It was lovely.

 

But why did he always stop there?

 

Well, today he had an excuse. He had to work. Maybe if she offered to give him a ride, he'd have more time to… explore.

 

"Hey, good morning, you. You want a ride to work today? I don't have to go in until later," she said with a yawn and a stretch. Casual.

 

Ulquiorra hummed. He'd like that but there was no reason she had to get out of bed just to give him a ride. "Mmmm, you don't have to. No reason for both of us to be out of bed and cold."

 

He raised himself up and looked at this redheaded goddess. There was a sly look in her eyes; was she planning something? Did she want something? "I mean if you do, I don't have to leave right away; I can stay in bed until the last minute."

 

Her sly look expanded into a smirk. "Am I that transparent?" she asked, rolling into his chest.

 

"Orihime," he said. They had not talked about this and he didn't want to pressure her into anything. "You're not transparent but you obviously want something. What is it? Tell me."

 

" _Betsu ni._ It's not that I want something in particular… I'm just going to miss you." She brought her nose to his jaw and took an obvious sniff. She loved that he smelled like laundry soap and something else. Something warm. It made her feel warm. _Very warm_ in a _very particular_ place.

 

Just her doing that against his skin sent tingles down his spine. "I'm a text message away. You know I'm going to miss you too. I always do."

 

He brought his hand up to caress her back, from her shoulders to her ass.

 

"Mmmm," She hummed into the skin below his ear. "Are you sure you can't call in sick?"

 

The idea had been contemplated several times. He could but what would that say about him to his employers? What kind of impression would that leave? Oh, but the way she was nuzzling his ear was-It was more than good. It was making him rethink even getting out of bed. "I could," he murmured.

 

She didn't expect his answer. She pulled back to look at him with a semi-serious expression. "Are you sure it's ok? You just missed a bunch of work because of me being in the hospital. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble."

 

Damn. Her responsible side just could not keep its trap shut.

 

His mouth drew into a thin line. She had to say something about that. "My first class isn't until--I can be a little late. Especially since I have my hands on this." Ulquiorra turned onto his back, pulling Orihime on top of him. His hands came up to her thighs, holding her there. "You're the one who suggested it."

 

Orihime's blood started to race. This is what she had been waiting for. She could feel him growing under her, and it took considerable effort not to just start grinding her hips on him like some kind of animal. Instead, she brought her lips down to his and kissed him softly, lingering on them and breathing his breath. After a few moments, she pulled back and whispered, "I love you."

 

His eyes glanced up at her. This was dangerous the way she was sitting on him. The weight of her body pressing down against him. She looked beautiful in the morning light though with her sleep-tousled hair. "Ich liebe dich," Ulquiorra replied. He felt shy when saying the words in English.

 

He shifted his body, trying to ease the discomfort that was becoming a problem in his boxers. "I should get up and get ready."

 

She pouted a big baby pout. "Fine, but when is your next day off?"

 

An unimpressed look showed up on his face. "I never get a day off with teaching. It's always a class or tutoring. Maybe Saturday or Sunday."

 

She groaned. It was only Monday. She rolled off of him and covered her head with her blanket, releasing a frustrated whine into it.

 

Lifting up the blanket, Ulquiorra looked at his girlfriend. Why was she being a petulant brat? "You know you could just ask," he commented. "The worst I could do is say no but I wouldn't."

 

Now she was embarrassed. She had never, _ever_ asked for it before. Ginjo just pleaded or harassed her until she relented. She didn't like how much power Ulquiorra had over her in this regard, to make her even consider asking for it an option.

 

Maybe he didn't want her as much as she wanted him?

 

She was unaware how much her thoughts were being translated to her facial expressions, she was so absorbed in them.

 

Since Orihime was laying on her back, Ulquiorra kissed her before throwing the blanket off her body. He took in the sight of her with a smile. A million expressions and feelings had flitted across her face, her eyes telling a story about how conflicted she was at that moment. He bit his lip then smiled at her.

 

All she had to do was show interest. He just wanted to give her time. This was a big adjustment for both of them. Desire spread through his body. He had to laugh at her choice of shirt to sleep in with a chubby feline on the front. It was cute; everything about Orihime was adorable. His hands eased under the shirt, taking it along for the ride; ghosting over her stomach, tickling her slightly. Ulquiorra smirked when she squirmed from his touch. He sighed, pleased when he touched her breasts. The skin was hot under his cool fingers. One fingertip circled her nipple as he looked at her.

 

"Is that a yes, you want me to go down on you or yes that you want me?" he asked in a teasing manner.

 

Her face flushed a brilliant shade of red and she covered her eyes. It was too sudden! He was too direct, it was embarrassing! Yes, she wanted it desperately, but he was kind of making her squirm in a non-sexy way. She was not sure if it was the timing, the teasing, the fact that she was wearing cat jammies… It just wasn't ideal. It wasn't… it wasn't how she wanted it.

 

She whined. "Ulquiooooraaaaa….. are you trying to kill me?"

 

He shook his head as he continued the lazy circles he was drawing over her sensitive nubs with his fingernail. "Why would I kill you? I just want to please you."

 

She whimpered. What he was doing with his fingers was making her cognitive functions lag. His face was just so, so, compelling, she thought as she peeked from under her hands. _Why did he have to be so good looking?_ She cursed silently and bit her lower lip. In a tiny gesture, she nodded. "If you want...I mean…"

 

If he wanted? Orihime had no clue how much he _wanted_ to. Tilting his head down, he kissed her mouth, then perfect chin, followed by that flawless neck. Now that her chest was exposed he was going to make his way down to those and then lower. His mouth encircled one nipple while he played with the other, gently pinching. It wasn't enough to hurt, just enough that it'd make her gasp.

 

He enjoyed hearing her. He liked how she sounded. He couldn't wait to make her cry out again. Ulquiorra had thought about Orihime, her body and how she felt when coming; it was a constant thought in his brain but he hadn't explored the notion.

 

She couldn't believe how good he was at this. He was producing sensations in her breasts and on her neck that she was unable to elicit on her own, and it was light years beyond what Ginjo had ever done. She felt every cell he touched turn to fire, and all those flames were spreading toward a singular destination. She squeezed her thighs together and felt heat pooling between her legs already. Yes, she thought, make no mistake, Ulquiorra Cifer had a gift.

 

He hummed against her skin, knowing he was turning her on. The way she moved was a dead give away. After making sure to give the other nipple just as much attention between kissing and the little nibbles, Ulquiorra nipped at her stomach a couple times. Of course, Orihime yelped. He couldn't help doing it. He was excited.

 

No one was going to stop him this time.

 

When he got to the matching boxer shorts the redhead was wearing, he looked up at her, sliding his thumbs under the elastic. "O, are you sure?"

 

Whatever had been holding her back minutes ago was now long forgotten. She bit her knuckle, whimpering, "uh huh."

 

He tugged those shorts down inch by inch, kissing and licking her hip bones and the curve they created for her thighs. Ulquiorra didn't look, not yet. He'd seen that patch of curls in a photo but never in person. When the piece of clothing was pulled off one ankle and then the other, he finally laid his green eyes on that area between her thighs.

 

She was exposed to him. She liked it. She could see the hunger in his eyes. She wanted to see how hungry he could get. She slowly raised one knee up and down, just teasing him a bit, making him wonder if she was going to open them. She wanted to see how patient Ulquiorra Cifer was.

 

His teeth raked over his bottom lip. She was toying with him. He moved so that he could grab her ankle, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing the skin, running his tongue over the skin. "I told you I was going to do this, didn't I?" Ulquiorra asked before kissing another spot higher on her leg.

 

She sighed and shivered. He _had_ told her. He was making good on his promises. A small smile played at her lips. She was more than happy to allow him to fulfill said promises and her anticipation was beginning to show in her eyes.

 

Ulquiorra's eyes didn't leave Orihime's face as his mouth traveled up her leg to her thigh. He stopped about midway and then did the same thing with the other leg. Once he hit mid-thigh, he didn't stop. He got down onto his stomach and waited for her to make the next move. If she wanted to tease him some more, he'd show her what he could do.

 

She was past the point of playing games. She was so aroused by the attention he had given her legs that when he laid his face near their crevice, she only hesitated a moment before slowly parting them, first bending one graceful knee up and to the side and then the other. She watched his face as her lower lips revealed themselves to him.

 

He could see how wet she was. He could detect the scent of her arousal. It was turning him on enough that he had to reach down and adjust himself. He wanted to sink into her and never emerge. Pink and slick, it was teasing him. "You are gorgeous," he murmured before pressing a kiss to those reddish curls.

 

Her breath rushed out in a forced sigh when he kissed her there. It felt to her like worlds colliding. Her hand came down to caress the side of his face. "I love you," It sounded like a plea, "Ulquiorra," she whispered. She twisted her hips a bit, indicating her eagerness.

 

When he first got her letters he had entertained a fictional relationship with this O but now? He had one. He smirked as he nuzzled her with his nose, letting the folds part. He'd been waiting for this for months.

 

Ulquiorra was very deliberate with how he let his tongue drag against that sensitive bundle of nerves, his eyes always pointed towards Orihime although he couldn't see her face with how her breast blocked the view. He kept the pace up with his tongue until she squirmed more, seeming to get impatient with the activity.

 

What was this torture? What had she done to deserve such indescribable tension? He kept this slow pace for an eternity, each pass causing more agony than the last. It was all she could do not to grab him by the hair and push his face deeper into her. She focused on her breathing. She could do that. She wouldn't let this sex god of a man push her to the brink of insanity just with a few swipes of his tongue. But, ah, it prickled and oh, how it made her thighs tremble.

 

He remembered this taste, a faint melon flavor on his tongue. Ulquiorra knew this, his brain registering it to this woman. It was just as much her as the scent of the lotion she wore. His brain was telling him to finish this because he wanted his own release but he would have to be patient.

 

Orihime had spent the last couple of years tied down to a selfish man who obviously sucked at caring about his partner's pleasure. It wouldn't do to get her trembling only to stop at the best part. His caresses with his tongue got bolder. He sped up his pace, grabbing one of her thighs with his pale hand, lifting it higher.

 

He wanted this so bad. He wanted to feel her again. Using his other hand to bring her other leg up, Ulquiorra held them up with his forearm, while he used his now free hand to slip two fingers inside of her, tightness surrounding him.

 

All Orihime could do was hang on, totally at his mercy. She wrapped one of her arms around her knees and clung to them, her other hand clamped to her face as she rode out the escalating pressure winding up within her. She cried out when he entered her with his fingers, and she knew she was done for. It was only a short matter of time. She had never been so responsive before. Her breath fell from her lips in choked pants, and she whined as he moved his fingers in and out of her. This was like the mountainside, but so much better. She could only close her eyes and hope she didn't die before this was over.

 

This was heaven. Tasting this woman after days and weeks and months of wondering, he was doing this. His mouth was kissing her clit, tongue flicking against it and around the flesh like a starving man who just tasted the best caviar on the planet. His fingers were slightly bent, gently kneading the skin he found there trying to coax a reaction out of her. Ulquiorra groaned when he heard her, closing his eyes.

 

His vocalization is what did her in. That small vibration, the rumble from her lover's lips was what caused her dam to burst, and she came in a full body shudder, starting with her legs and ending with her inner muscles pulsing rhythmically around his fingers. She didn't make a lot of noise. She hissed, "fuck!' and then seemed to cry and whimper until her legs stopped spasming and she could let them go. Then came a protracted whine, and then, again, his name. "Ulquiorra… when did you…" She didn't say what crossed her mind. She didn't want to ruin the moment. But later when she thought back she would smirk when she recalled thinking, _no wonder his ex is still hung up on him._

 

He eased off her gently not wanting to disturb that post-orgasm glow she had about her. He popped his head up when he heard her speak. A faint blush colored his cheeks. When did he what, he wondered. Instead, he cleared his throat. "I hate to leave you but I've got to get ready for work, O. I would love to stay here and do that again and again but you're right. I took off two days last week. It would reflect poorly on my person if I missed again," he said before kissing her cheek.

 

He stood and then went to the bathroom, washing his face and hands. Ulquiorra was also glaring at his dick, wishing it would go down. It would probably go away once he stepped outside into the chilly weather.

 

He could ask her for anything at that moment and she would have gladly given it to him. Her pension, her kidneys, her soul, it was all free for the taking. He wanted to go to work, that was just fine to her. All was right in the world. Still, a niggling thought kept knocking at her brain. She whined, and when she felt ready, she rolled over to her side to observe her lover. And observe she did. He had left the bedroom door open. A slow smirk appeared on her face as her eyes followed his ass as he moved around the apartment in only his underwear. Why had she never noticed it before? It was so tight and… cute. She wanted to dribble it... She wanted to tap it and see if there was any spring to it or if it was as hard as the rest of him… She didn't mean to laugh when he turned around and she saw just how _hard_ the rest of him really was at that moment.

 

"I'm sorry!" she called out and then buried her head into her pillow so he wouldn't hear her laughing. When she was able to regain her composure she got up and slipped her shorts back on and padded to the bathroom, standing behind him in the mirror. "I'm sorry. Next time I won't be so selfish…" she looked at his reflection with her sex flushed face and embarrassed eyes. She had a surprise for him later anyway.

 

"I'm not sorry," he replied as he got dressed, pulling on his black trousers and a plain white dress shirt. It was the same stuff he wore every day he had classes. Ulquiorra looked at her in the mirror and smirked. "I plan on having my way with you the next time. Maybe when I get home from work?" He turned around and looked at the redhead. "I love you, O."

 

She walked up to him and put her arms around his waist. " _Ai shiteru, Urukio-ra-kun_ ," she said in a shy tone and kissed his nose. "Do you want a ride to work now that I've made you late?"

 

Ulquiorra nodded. "If you wouldn't mind. What does that word mean? Ah shi taro?"

 

She giggled. "I don't know what _Ah shi taro_ means. But _a-i-shi-te-ru_ means 'I love you'."

 

He gave her a smile and kissed the top of her head. "C'mon go get dressed before I bend you over something. Duty over pleasure."

 

"Oh! That reminds me. I forget to tell you when we left the hospital that my mail was bounced back from your old place, and they gave it to me with my discharge papers. My test results are in."

 

His grin got bigger. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betsu ni: translation depends on situation, but in this case means "nothing really"  
> Ai shiteru: I love you (very strong version)  
>  
> 
> Ich liebe dich - I love you


	20. Never Have I Ever

Orihime got home from work earlier than Ulquiorra that afternoon and flopped onto their bed to close her eyes for a minute. As she lay there, memories of his face between her thighs began to surface. She smiled and shifted her legs, trying to push away the growing need within her; a need that seemed to be edging toward the insatiable.

 

She remembered she had something for just such an occasion. She took out her phone. She had given in to temptation and looked at it a few times already, but this time she wanted to really study it. She scrolled through her text messages and there it was: his glorious cock.

 

She held the phone in front of her face and squirmed, imagining things about it: how it would feel, how it would taste, how heavy or springy it was. Keeping the picture in sight, her free hand traveled down to her waistband, and was just about to dive in, when her phone rang. It startled her and she dropped it on her chest. She scrambled to an upright position and picked up the phone again.

 

The caller i.d. said Ichigo Kurosaki.

 

She answered, "Hello, Kurosaki-kun?"

 

"Hi! Yeah it's me. Glad to hear _your_ voice this time. How's it going?

 

"Ah… fine. Good. How are you?" She was slightly apprehensive. He never called out of the blue, only when he had a reason.

 

"Great, and I have good news, Chad and I…"

 

Orihime finished the sentence for him in her head, " _are finally getting married?"_ She smiled as he continued.

 

"... are coming up! We got discount tickets to Sendai for late Thursday night and we'll be in town in time for the snow Lantern Festival on Friday!"

 

She was surprised by her initial reaction. She felt kind of put on the spot and irritated. It didn't last long though. They were her childhood friends after all, and she had not seen them since August. "Oh, that's wonderful! I can't wait to see you two," she smiled slyly at the way she worded it.

 

"Yeah, me too. There's just one thing…"

 

Ulquiorra sighed as the student he was tutoring kept going on and on about something in English; he wasn't paying attention. It had been a day. He was already wishing for the weekend so that he'd be free of this building and the people milling about.

 

He'd been scolded for being late that morning. The dark-haired male apologized in his monotone voice for making people wait and bowed marginally. One of his fellow teachers came up to him, giggling and corrected his sentence. Ulquiorra repeated it the correct way and brushed off the encounter.

 

The woman must have been new or he just never noticed her before because she seemed to run into him whenever he left the classroom.

 

"Excuse me," she said in heavily accented English.

 

"No worries," he replied, stepping around her and continuing his day. Everything was fine up until an hour ago. The dark-haired woman had practically cornered him in the faculty area.

 

"Are you See-fer?"

 

"It's Sigh-fer," Ulquiorra said. "Sigh-fer. Cifer."

 

"Oh, I couldn't help notice that you're alone and was wondering if you knew about the Snow Lantern Festival. It's supposed to be a-"

 

She stopped speaking and Ulquiorra gave her a stern look. This woman was wasting his time. All he wanted to do was get the tutoring session over with and go home to his woman. "Yes?"

 

"Well I was wondering if you'd like to escort me. It's a wonderful place for couples-"

 

"I'm sorry. Are you under the impression that I'm single?"

 

The woman nodded her head.

 

"I hate to be the one to tell you this but I'm not," Ulquiorra stated. He saw the exact moment that he murdered this woman's dreams. Her face fell. "Thank you for the suggestion though. I'll be sure to bring it up to my fiancee."

 

He was lying but no one at this hellhole knew that.

 

After the session was done and he had trudged home, Ulquiorra unlocked the door, grateful to be inside somewhere warm; somewhere he didn't have to keep up the pretense that he was polite.

 

Hearing Orihime speaking in her native tongue, he shed his coat and shoes, and put his bag on the shelf that sat by the door. "O? I'm home," he called out before walking into the living area.

 

" _Okaeri—_ eh, welcome home!" She code-switched clumsily. Then she turned her attention back to the phone, "ok— _ja, mata kinyoubi."_ Then she hung up.

 

He gave her a small smile before walking over to her and grabbing her hips. "Hello. You wouldn't believe the day I had," Ulquiorra said with an unimpressed expression. "You sounded busy, who was on the phone."

 

"That bad, huh? I'm sorry," she said and pecked him on the lips. "That was my friend from high school."

 

"Oh," he said. "Bad wasn't the word for it. I was reprimanded like a child and then was informed i screwed up my apology. The same person who informed me of this kept getting in my way all day." He pouted for a moment like a petulant child. "But she did ask me to some Snow festivities or something, said it was for couples."

 

Her expression darkened and she raised a suspicious brow. "Oh? Who is this ' _person'_? This ' _she'?"_

 

Automatically he raised an eyebrow. Was Orihime jealous? He decided it was a cute look for her, like an angry kitten trying to roar and claw someone. "Truthfully, I have no clue who she is; another teacher or staff. I told her that I had someone-I lied though. I said I had a fiancee instead of girlfriend because I didn't want to give her hope that I could be swayed from you. Also my tutoring session ran over because the student I was with decided to go on about something I don't even care about."

 

"Hmmmm…. very interesting _._ Well, I do hope you invite me to the wedding," she teased and pinched him in the side. Not an easy task, considering he had nothing to pinch. Ulquiorra was built like silk over rock, she thought, but then realized she was getting sidetracked. She looked up to his face to see what kind of reaction she would get.

 

He scowled at her but it was a soft expression. He furrowed his eyebrows and pulled his mouth into a thin line. "I plan on giving you a front row seat to it. Do you want to go?"

 

She pursed her lips to the side and furrowed her brows right back at him. "Not funny," she said in an unimpressed tone and turned her chin up and to the side, crossing her arms under her breasts and pouting.

 

Now he was confused. Why was she angry over a question? Was there some kind of miscommunication? Had he said the wrong thing? "It wasn't supposed to be funny. It was a serious question. I was asking you to this snow festival. It's supposed to be "for couples". I also think that includes romance which if I can assume, you've not experienced a lot of while with the bastard."

 

Her face took on a vaguely confused expression. "I'm sorry, I must have missed something. Your English is better than mine and I was just speaking Japanese for like an hour. And not the weird Japanese they speak up here, either," she paused for a breath. "Anyway, you're right, I haven't had much of that. I really want to go!"

 

He could understand that there were different dialects in this small country. Each region probably had their own way of saying things. When he had landed in Tokyo, months ago, he heard the sharp way people's tongues eased words out. Up here, they were much more… _rural_ polite. They could have been telling Ulquiorra fuck you but had a hospitable manner the entire time.

 

"Germans have their own ways of speaking too. My hometown is near Austria and we speak standard German but there are some areas where it's a bit different," he explained. "If you want to go, then I shall take you."

 

She beamed at him. "Oh, yay! I've always wanted to go! Ever since…" she stopped and her face fell. She made a pained expression and looked at the ground for a minute and then looked back up at him apologetically.

 

He frowned again. "It's okay. Ginjo was a horrible person. You don't have to feel guilty or bad about wanting to experience things that he deprived you of," Ulquiorra told her. "If I can grant your wish, I will."

 

Now she really cringed hard. She bit her lip and stumbled as she explained, "Thank you, Ulquiorra, I am really happy about it, it's just, Ginjo is not the reason this is hard…" she took a deep breath. "It's just that my friends just told me that they are coming up for the festival, and asked to stay here, so it would kind of be like… a double date?" She peeked at him to try to read how he felt about the news.

 

He wasn't thrilled about her friends coming but he wasn't going to deny her companionship. As much as he wanted Orihime's undivided attention, he wasn't going to be a dick. "As long as one of your friends isn't another beautiful redhead, I don't see a problem with it."

 

She raised her eyebrows and looked to the side, thinking it was kind of a technicality that the word beautiful generally referred to women, not tall, carrot-topped man-child with fantastic bone structure. "Not exactly, " she replied. She was getting uncomfortable with where this was going.

 

Waving a hand, Ulquiorra dismissed her worries. "We have that spare room. I'm sure we can make them comfortable in there or the couch. The couch is fine. Lumpy but fine. I'm excited to meet your friends," he said… It was an apprehensive statement. "I've not met one yet although, does it count that I've yelled at one and had him compliment me for not being Ginjo? I'm sure I'll get along with them fine."

 

A huge, fake grin appeared on her face. "Ha ha, yeah, I'm sure you will. Well, you might have more in common with one than the other. Chad is only half Japanese so he can kind of understand your _gaijin smash_ experience," she giggled, imagining literal smashing.

 

It seemed like she was teasing him but he let it slide. "Chad seems like a very strange name. Who is the other friend that is coming or is Mister Chad coming alone? When will he show up?"

 

"Chad is a nickname, his real name is Sado. You see, the kanji for…" she saw that she was losing his interest, "anyway, that's not important the other one is Kurosaki and they are coming on Friday," she spit the words out as fast as possible, hoping he either wouldn't catch or remember the name.

 

Who? He had heard that name before but couldn't place it. Not that it mattered. He already said he was fine with the arrangement. "Okay so Chad and Kurosaki. Sounds like a lively bunch. You said we could have a double date with them? Should we put lube and tissues in the spare room?"

 

She stroked her chin and seriously considered it. Before they left for Kyushu she had never thought of the possibility that they might be gay, but the way Ichigo would talk about himself and Chad constantly being together had put ideas in her head. She kind of shipped it. "Um, it's not the worst idea," she said thoughtfully.

 

It was nice to meet people from all walks of life. Years ago while in college, Ulquiorra had a male friend that had hit on him from time to time. He'd shot Szayel down faster than the Hindenburg went down in a blaze. Men were not for him. "We should be accommodating. Now enough about them, tell me about your day, was it nice to start the day off like you did?"

 

She bit her lower lip and smiled, "Mmhmm". She took a long breath. "It made it pretty hard to stand around stocking shelves all day with legs made out of rubber."

 

Ulquiorra chuckled at that. "How about an encore? I could wake you up every morning like that."

 

She visibly shuddered. Her face was worried. "Every morning? Ulquiorra… I don't think my body could handle that… It was, um, _intense_." She shuddered again, smiling a bit at the memory.

 

He smirked and pulled her into their bedroom, kicking the door shut.

 

***

 

Friday morning came quicker than expected and Ulquiorra was in a mood. He was cranky. He was bitchy. The space that he shared with Orihime was going to be invaded by outsiders; people he didn't know. He wanted to just shut the world out so that it was just the two of them in their own universe. He woke up next to the woman as always, smiling as he fondled bare skin of her leg since she was wearing those cat pajamas again. It was always the same thing. A t-shirt and shorts, Orihime refused to sleep naked, even after he had given her multiple orgasms. It saved him from temptation though. Ulquiorra was waiting for the perfect time to "go all the way". He was waiting for this magical and sensual Snow Lantern Festival.

 

As much as he would have loved to stay in bed pleasuring her, he had to get to work. He kissed the sleeping redhead before gathering the things he would need to get ready for the day and headed to the bathroom.

 

Ulquiorra had no clue when her friends were supposed to arrive but he figured that Orihime was picking them up.

 

Orihime kissed Ulquiorra goodbye and got to work making sure their apartment was fit for guests, clearing her long red hair out of the shower drain and making sure the garbage was all out; things like that. When she was satisfied, she went into what was the de facto guest room and made sure it was comfortable. She decided to present Chad and Ichigo with it as a shared room and not offer the sofa. That way they wouldn't have to refuse it to keep up appearances if they really wanted to be together. Besides, they were going to use twin futons on the floor. The lube and tissues were just amenities.

 

She made sure those items were within eyeshot but not overly obvious. She wondered what their romantic relationship would be like; who confessed first, who generally went on top…. She raised her eyebrows at herself and shook her head. She should not be thinking of her friends that way. She backed out of the room and shut the door. It was almost time to pick them up.

 

She was waiting at the station and as the minutes ticked by, she started getting nervous. She was looking forward to seeing them, for sure, but she was worried about how she would feel when she saw Ichigo. Even when they met last August, those old butterflies in her stomach started fluttering when she was around him. She had heard that there was something about first loves that was hard to shake. Until she met Ulquiorra she was a big believer in that idea. She checked the station clock; their train was due in 32 seconds. In Japan, trains run exactly on time.

 

32 seconds later she saw two tall young men exit the train and stride toward her with subdued grins. She couldn't help bouncing up and down and waving excitedly. She greeted them both properly with bows and smiles and words of welcome, then escorted them to her car.

 

She hadn't thought this through. "Er, do either of you drive?" She asked as they approached her small vehicle.

 

They did not.

 

Orihime didn't want to tell Ichigo to sit alone in the back seat, but she couldn't imagine Chad being able to fit back there. "Um, I think it might be best for Sado-kun to sit in front; there's more legroom."

 

Ichigo grumbled something unintelligible and Orihime apologized, and then they started driving. It was time to pick up Ulquiorra from work.

 

He was standing in front of the building. It was cold but Orihime said she'd be there to pick him up because she wanted him to be there to meet her friends. Ulquiorra glared at every green car that drove past, hoping his girlfriend would arrive.

 

Come to find out, he was the gossip fodder for his coworkers. The females would look at him and giggle like they were still in school. He'd spent most of the day with a scowl etched into his pale features. When Orihime finally arrived, his mood got darker. She was NOT alone. Someone was sitting beside her. If someone was sitting beside her then that meant… He wasn't sitting in the back seat!

 

His green eyes found her dark ones, giving her a questioning look through the window. Why wasn't she making the guy sitting beside her move? That was his spot. He sighed, irritation creeping along his nerves.

 

It was clear that the big guy wasn't going to move. It was when he walked towards the car, he noticed that the back seat wasn't empty either. Who was the orange headed prat sitting in the backseat? Ulquiorra opened the passenger side rear door, got in and then slammed it shut. He didn't say a damn word to anyone.

 

Orihime looked at Ulquiorra in the rear view mirror and mouthed, "Sorry". He didn't respond, so she began driving and decided to make their introductions on the road.

 

"Ulquiorra, these are my friends, Sado Yasutora and Kurosaki Ichigo,” she said in slow English.

 

Chad grunted and waved. Ichigo didn't look at Ulquiorra. He just said, "Hey."

 

The male with the brown hair seemed okay but the man sitting beside him… This was the guy. The guy he'd screamed at the day Orihime walked out of his apartment. The guy who was the shithead. The orange-headed dick. "No compliments this time?" Ulquiorra said to Ichigo in rather snotty tone.

 

"Eh, he he he, what are you talking about Ulquiorra? Also, um, please speak slowly, Sado-kun speaks Spanish better than English."

 

"This is the same guy who-Never mind," Ulquiorra snapped. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

 

Chad just sat silently in the front seat, slowly registering the words that the pale man was saying. There was obviously some tension. "Nice to meet you too."

 

Ichigo smirked. He chuckled a bit. He was feeling pretty confident. Who was this guy? Seemed kind of small and bitchy. Maybe Orihime had a thing for attracting effeminate men like Ishida to hang around her. "I remember you," he started. "I'm kind of surprised. _Yoroshiku,"_ he said, rolling the r.

 

"Shithead." Ulquiorra looked out the window. He wasn't going to talk to this asshole. "How long will you be staying, Chad?"

 

"Uh, I think we're staying a couple of days," came the deep reply.

 

Orihime was getting a bit desperate to dispel some of the tension in the car. "I'm sorry I don't have a bigger car, heh heh. I'm sure Kurosaki-kun and Sado-kun want to sit together…"

 

"No, I'm fine back here, Inoue," Ichigo replied to her gently.

 

"I'm sure that Kurosaki can walk back to our apartment," Ulquiorra said at the same time the orange-headed dick decided to talk.

 

Ichigo was too busy being smug to notice that Ulquiorra called it _their_ apartment. Orihime pulled up in front of the door. "Why don't you get out here and Ulquiorra can show you up? I'm sure you'd rather not get your stuff all wet," she offered. It was snowing pretty hard already. "I'll park and meet you up there."

 

Ulquiorra snorted. As far as he was concerned, this Kurosaki could sleep outside in a puddle and freeze! He raised an eyebrow and looked at Orihime. He had to remind himself that he had promised to be nice to her friends and be a pleasant host. "Fine, get out, Heat Mizer." With that he was out of the car, slamming the door.

 

Chad frowned and looked back at Ichigo. "You two know each other?"

 

"I think we may have exchanged a few words," Ichigo smirked.

 

"Please try to be nice", Orihime begged before Ichigo opened the door, He flashed her a blinding smile before letting himself out.

 

Chad stayed in the car, waiting for Orihime to go to her parking spot. "You and him?" It was an innocent question.

 

Orihime blushed at Chad's question and smiled. "Yes, we've been roommates since December but we started dating a couple weeks ago."

 

"Ah," the big man said. "You can go, I'll be fine carrying my bag in the snow."

 

Orihime didn't protest. She knew Chad well. She knew she wouldn't win if she argued so she drove over to her spot and parked, getting out and reaching the lobby in time to hear bickering.

 

"So, still a professional fuckwad? Or did you get promoted to king of the morons?"

 

The scoff was loud. "I see you're still an annoying piece of trash. How the hell did Orihime become friends with you? You must have pestered her for attention."

 

"Ha ha, yeah right. Maybe you had to, but she was always available to me," Ichigo responded, keeping the appearance of a civil conversation.

 

Ulquiorra opened his mouth and then shut it. He had not pestered Orihime for attention! They had pursued each other in a mutual fashion. "Yet, you never batted an eye at her. I can see either you're blind or it's hard to see around the big guy you're with. I bet you're the bitch."

 

Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He had no idea what this guy was talking about. What did he mean, Ichigo was the bitch? He didn't have time to ask, Orihime and Chad had just entered the lobby,

 

Chad raised his eyebrows at the rapidly spoken words. He caught bits and pieces but didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what Orihime's boyfriend was implying.

 

Orihime caught up to the other two. "Why didn't you guys go up first? You didn't need to wait for us."

 

"Because I am a gentleman who waits for his woman. And," Ulquiorra pointed at the ginger. "This prick called me a moron and idiot and a fucker multiple times!"

 

Orihime's eyes widened in disbelief. "Kurosaki-kun! Why would you say something like that?"

 

Ichigo scowled at her and took a step toward her, basically crowding out the others, and asked in a low voice, "Why is he calling you 'his woman'? And why is he such a—" Ichigo censored himself and looked over his shoulder at the other two males.

 

Ulquiorra scowled at the carrot colored mop on Kurosaki's head. It was a gaudy and garish color. So tacky. It didn't look nearly as natural as Orihime's locks. Kurosaki had a bad bleach job, someone butchered that mess, he decided. "Can we go up to the apartment? I've had a rather long and trying day," the green eyed man stated. "I'm sure Kurosaki's boyfriend is getting tired of holding his bag."

 

Chad's eyes widened. He shook his head. "I think you've made a mistake. Ichigo and I are friends."

 

Orihime's face fell. She was disappointed to hear that, especially so early in their visit. She had been looking forward to playing, 'will they or won't they'. But she still had hope. Maybe they were both in denial or something. She smiled at all three men. "I guess I'll lead the way, then," she said, starting to walk up the stairs first. Ichigo made no attempt to disguise the fact that he was staring at her ass the entire time.

 

Since he was at the end of the line, Ulquiorra glared daggers at Kurosaki. What an asshole. Orihime had said that he had ignored her their entire friendship and NOW he wanted to kiss and make up. Nope. Not today, Satan. Orihime was his and he had fought too hard to let some piss ant try to worm his way into her life and upset the balance.

 

He knew exactly what he could do. He'd get the book from Urahara's and present it to her tomorrow night. He'd ply her with so much love, affection and romance she'd drown in it. He would make her forget all about Kurosaki and Ginjo.

 

Both were assholes and neither of them deserved her.

 

"Hey, Inoue," Ichigo started as she reached the the top of the steps. "Have you been working out?"

 

This asshole. This fucking asshole. He was clearly flirting with Orihime. It was probably just to get a rise out of Ulquiorra. "Orihime doesn't need to do anything like that. She's perfect," he growled.

 

Ichigo only smirked and looked down at the shorter man behind him. "Hey, you don't have to tell me, dude. Inoue's always been our group's princess, right?" He thought he was so smooth.

 

Chad nodded. "Inoue's name means princess, so we've always treated her like one."

 

"Aww, Sado-kun, that's so sweet," Orihime gushed, the way Chad spoke was always so forthright. "But I'd like it if none of you called me princess, please… that's what Ginjo used to call me,"

 

Ulquiorra was _fuming_. "Orihime is more than a princess. She's a queen to me. She deserves-" The pale man stopped himself. This wouldn't do to get upset over some guy trying to scratch at nothing. "I do think we should respect her wishes and also not speak of the bastard."

 

With that, Ulquiorra passed by Chad and Ichigo to stand beside Orihime. "We only have one guest room, I hope that's okay with you guys. I'm sure you share a room all the time."

 

Orihime grinned at her friends in such a way that left no room for argument lest Ichigo look like an asshole. She turned around and unlocked the door, opened it and stood to the side, gesturing for their guests to go in first.

 

Ichigo took a step forward and stopped right when he was about to pass her and whispered a short apology for the princess bit. He knew that baiting Ulquiorra at her expense was not in his best interest and he didn't want her to think he was trying to cross that line.

 

Ulquiorra waited for both of their guests to enter and he gestured for Orihime to enter. "Ladies first," he said to her before he lowered his voice, "We will talk about this later, O."

 

He sounded serious. She wondered what was bothering him, but she had guests to consider, so she put the thought on hold.

 

She followed her friends into the genkan and pointed to the room immediately to their right, "this will be your room. There are futons folded up in the corner and towels in the closet, um… the bathroom is just there," she gestured across the hall. "Let me know if you need anything. When you're done getting settled come out to the living room, Ok?"

 

Chad nodded and took his bag into the room.

 

Ulquiorra did what he did every night after work and then walked into their shared bedroom. This was not the friend that he had expected. Especially one so rude.

 

After the boys had gone into their room, Orihime followed Ulquiorra into theirs. "Is something wrong? Why were you and Kurosaki-kun being so weird with each other?" She wasn't being accusatory. She just wanted to know.

 

"Kurosaki mentioned when I was on the phone with him that you were available and-" Ulquiorra couldn't find the right word he wanted to say.

 

Orihime smiled at him from under her lashes. "I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding, Ulquiorra. He has never and will never see me as anything more than like, a little sister." She approached Ulquiorra and wrapped her arms over his shoulders. She bought her mouth to his ear, adding, "It's awfully cute when you're jealous, though."

 

"Orihime," Ulquiorra started to say but stopped when he felt her so close to him. A small growl let his throat. He grabbed the woman, pulling her against him. "Kurosaki was looking at you like he was interested. I know it's silly to be jealous but-I can't help it."

 

Orihime kissed his cheek. "I'm kind of happy about it," she said and pulled back to look at him with mischief in her eyes. "However, I really quite doubt your eyes in this case. I still really think I sensed some tension between him and Chad. That stuff you bought is good, right? I mean, I don't want anyone getting hurt…" Her mind was circling the drain.

 

This caused Ulquiorra to laugh. "You actually put the lube in there?"

 

She looked at him, deadly serious. "Of course I did! I am not one to let a sapling romance wither and die. It _must_ be nurtured!"

 

He smiled. "You are a vixen. If they have sex in that room, you're cleaning everything. I was merely joking… Okay I wasn't joking but I didn't think you'd-Wait, are you saying you want them to be together?"

 

She looked aside and her cheeks dusted pink, and then she met his gaze again. "It would be nice," she admitted.

 

He tilted his head down and kissed Orihime, running his hands down her curves. "You are surprising, Orihime. But you could have told me it was Kurosaki that was coming. He's a pompous ass."

 

"I know he can come off that way, Ulquiorra. That's just who he's always been. But that cockiness has come in handy in the past, and you'll never meet anyone more loyal than him. Give him a chance, please?"

 

Drawing his lips into a thin line, Ulquiorra nodded. Why would he give that fire-headed idiot a chance when Kurosaki automatically laid into him. "Fine, I will but the next time he tries to start anything, I will not hesitate to show him to the door."

 

Orihime sighed with emphasis. "Maybe I should talk to him, too." She began to turn in Ulquiorra's arms, then looked back at him, as if asking for permission.

 

"I kind of want you in my arms right now but go ahead and talk to him."

 

Her expression melted into a goofy smile and she squeezed him. "I'll meet you back in the living room."

 

Ulquiorra watched her leave and his mouth turned downward. If Kurosaki touched her in an improper way, there was going to be hell to pay. He shut the door so that he could change his clothes in peace.

 

***

 

Orihime knocked on the guest room door frame, watching as Ichigo and Chad set up their clothing to hang and unwrinkle. Ichigo turned around. "What's up, Inoue?"

 

She smiled, trying to act casual. "Can I talk to you for a minute, Kurosaki-kun?"

 

"Sure," he said, turning back to his suitcase, as oblivious as ever.

 

"Er, could I talk to you in the other room, please?" she asked, now uncomfortable.

 

"Uh, okay," he said as he turned and started following her to the kitchen.

 

She stopped and leaned against the countertop, waiting for his full attention.

 

She waited. And waited. She cleared her throat.

 

He finally brought his eyes up from wherever he was looking. "Oh, yeah, you wanted to say something?"

 

"Yeah," she started, not really knowing how to say this. With Ulquiorra, she could just say what was on her mind. With Ichigo, there was a long history of hiding how she really felt. It was a hard habit to break. "Well, the thing is, you really stepped on Ulquiorra's toes and he feels, um, how can I say it…"

 

Ichigo took a few more steps toward her, just on the inside of her personal space. She was forced to tilt her head up to look at him. "You know I don't really care how he feels," Ichigo started.

 

Orihime blushed. Old habits die hard. She shook herself out of it. "Well, I care how he feels, Kurosaki-kun. I would appreciate it if you tried to be civil. I want us to all have a good time this weekend."

 

Ichigo scoffed quietly. "I don't know what you see in that guy, Inoue," he whispered. "I am just trying to protect you."

 

She tried not to roll her eyes. She really did. She was not successful.

 

Chad came out of the guest room and walked down the short hallway to where he saw Ichigo and Orihime standing. They were close. "Uh, am I interrupting?"

 

"Not at all, Sado-kun!" Orihime chirped, thanking god for the interruption. She ducked out from under Ichigo's crowding form and bounced toward the large man in the hall. "If everyone is settled, let's decide what to do today."

 

Ichigo stood in the kitchen for a moment, not exactly sure what just happened. He watched Chad and Orihime sit on the floor in the living room. After they had taken their seats, he finally came out of the kitchen and flopped down on the sofa. "Well, it's kind of crappy weather to go to the festival tonight. I say we either go out somewhere close to here or stay in tonight, and then go tomorrow."

 

"Yes, tomorrow is the better day anyway. There's going to be taiko performances, and the ice sculptures should all be complete by then," Orihime added, enthusiastic to see the sights offered by the festival.

 

Ulquiorra opened the bedroom door and walked out. He had changed to something that wasn't so work related. "I say we get food," the dark-haired man chimed in. "The walls are thin, so I heard the conversation."

 

Ichigo shot Ulquiorra an unreadable look. The green-eyed man only watched Orihime at that moment. Ichigo was displeased. "Sounds good to me," he finally said, still glaring at Ulquiorra.

 

"Alright, well, we'll be having festival food tomorrow, so what do you think? Do you want to try some of the local delicacies?"

 

Ichigo's eyes shot to her and his eyebrows flashed.

 

"That's fine," Chad said, nodding his head in agreement.

 

"Wipe the sour look off your face, Kurosaki. The food up here isn't that bad," Ulquiorra said.

 

Ichigo raised an eyebrow and looked back at Ulquiorra. "I wasn't implying anything like that. I had heard that the offerings up here were really quite something." He managed not to glance over at Orihime, despite an overwhelming urge to do so, and grinned.

 

Orihime sat up straighter, excited to share her new hometown with her friends. "Alright, so Yonezawa is famous for the A-B-Cs, Apples, Beef, and Carp. There's also Ryu Shanghai ramen which is pretty famous, although it's actually from Akayu, which is the next town over. It's a spicy miso broth with char siu. Anything sound good?" She included Ulquiorra in her visual poll of interest.

 

Chad didn't have a preference. He'd go along with what everyone else wanted. "It doesn't matter to me," he said.

 

Ulquiorra, on the other hand, had strong opinions about everything now that Kurosaki was there. "Is that what you want, Love?"

 

Ichigo's shit-eating grin melted into a glower. "Yeah, Inoue, what do you want to eat?"

 

Orihime looked bemused. "You guys, I've lived here for six years. I don't care what we eat," then her eyes widened. "Oh! I know! Let's go to the place Ishida-kun and I would always go after work! It's got a little of everything, and honestly, it's a lot cheaper than the touristy places."

 

The dark-haired man nodded but couldn't help feel another jolt of envy go through him. Who was this Ishida? Orihime had never mentioned him. Maybe she had, but he had not been listening. "That sounds perfect," Ulquiorra said. He walked over to where Orihime was sitting and extended his hand to help her up.

 

She smiled and took his hand. "Let's go, guys. Um, if you don't mind, we can walk. It's only about two blocks from here. Then we can have a toast!"

 

Ichigo was all for seeing her drink. "Yeah! I brought an umbrella, I can walk."

 

***

 

It was a cold walk but they ate. Ulquiorra was quiet and polite.

 

Ichigo was not. He kept ordering weak cocktails and encouraging everyone to drink. He was making a show of getting Orihime to laugh or telling over the top stories.

 

It was out of character.

 

Orihime was amused at first, thinking maybe it was just because they had a lot of catching up to do, but as time pressed on, she started to suspect that he was putting on an act.

 

"So, Kurosaki-kun," she interrupted a story no one was following, "How is school going?"

 

"Everything with school is fine. I start my clinical studies in April. I'm lined up with a hospital in Kyushu, for now," he answered, a little over-animate but otherwise sober yet.

 

"For now?" she asked.

 

"Yeah, I'd like to get back up to Karakura sooner than later. How about you, Orihime?"

 

Her face turned bright red. He had _never_ addressed her by her given name before. Not once. She couldn't answer him at first.

 

Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed at the man's use of Orihime's name. He didn't say anything, but he studied his girlfriend's face. Did she want to go back to her hometown?

 

She finally got over the initial shock. "Well, I've kind of made a life up here, Kurosaki-kun." Her eyes flickered to Ulquiorra and returned shyly back to her glass. She absently trailed her hands up and down the sides of the tall collins glass, making lines in the condensation as she stroked it. She was slightly buzzed. She didn't realize that she soon had even Chad mesmerized by what she was doing.

 

Up and down. Up and down. His brown eyes followed her fingers. It made him shift in his seat. Chad shook his head to break his attention. "Uh, how long have you been here, Cifer-san?"

 

Ulquiorra was completely bewitched by Orihime and her hand. He could just imagine what that would feel like. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself then quickly glanced at her friend. "Almost a year," he replied slowly in response to Chad's question.

 

Ichigo was not listening. He was still watching Orihime's hands. His face was turning a bit pink, and it wasn't from all the Kahlua milks he had been drinking. His nostrils flared and his eyelids drooped. He finally asked, "So, Orihime, I was wondering if you're going to come home again next summer…." He didn't seem to really care what her answer was. His attention was elsewhere.

 

The big guy noticed the change of Ichigo's tone. "Maybe you've had enough Ichigo. If you keep downing those, you're going to feel sorry in the morning."

 

"I'm fine, Chad. But you're right… too much dairy. _Sumimasen!"_ He called for the waitress.

 

Orihime took the opportunity to look over at Ulquiorra and gauge how he was handling the evening. He was staring at her. She withered a bit under his gaze, but tilted her head as if to offer condolences.

 

This entire thing was exasperating. Between his growing desire and Kurosaki's blatant attempts at trying to hump Orihime's leg… It was enough to make him want to act like a caveman and drag the redheaded woman off somewhere to have his way with her. Then she looked at him and his heart melted just a tiny bit. Ulquiorra licked his lips and mouthed the word later to her.

 

Orihime's cheeks flared and she bit her lower lip, looking down into her lap. She couldn't help the grin that grew on her face. She finally brought her eyes back to his and mouthed back, " _eroyaji._ "

 

Chad watched the exchange and then looked back to Ichigo. It seemed like Ichigo was trying to get shitfaced. The hangover tomorrow would teach him a lesson but Chad didn't want to hear his friend whine. Besides, if Ichigo did get drunk in public, they still had to walk back to Orihime's apartment. "Maybe we should take this party back to your apartment, Orihime. We can pick up something to drink on the way there if Ichigo wants to continue to drink?"

 

Orihime's reaction to Chad using her given name was substantially different than her reaction to Ichigo doing the same. Instead of getting shy, she was just overwhelmed with affection. "Sado-kun, aw!" she interjected with an expression indicating that she had found the gesture adorable, then smiled. "I think that's a good idea, though. We have tequila back at our place, but maybe we should just stop at the convenience store for some beer and snacks," she offered, speaking slowly so Chad wouldn't get lost. She refused to speak Japanese for Ulquiorra's benefit.

 

It was clear that Ulquiorra was going to have to learn the language of this country. The big guy seemed uncomfortable. Kurosaki kept muttering something. Orihime's words seemed out of place when she spoke them so slowly. He knew her English was almost perfect. Very rarely did the need to correct her come about. In fact the last time he had to correct her was when she was trying to pronounce the word "really". The r's were hard for her to wrap her tongue around because they turned into l's.

 

That had been an hour of his life that he would never get back trying to teach his girlfriend a rather simple word.

 

"Let's pay and go. I don't think Kurosaki needs anymore to drink. He might become belligerent and a public nuisance." Ulquiorra scowled at the ginger man.

 

This statement from the pale foreigner made Chad look at him. For as long as he had known Ichigo, his friend had never been like that. He'd only been violent when the occasion called for it which was usually when justice needed meting out due to bullying. It was apparent to him that there was a fine line that Cifer and Ichigo were walking on that could make this evening go to hell.

 

Orihime stood from her spot and announced that she would be treating because they were her guests. She picked up the check and walked over to the hostess station, waiting in line to pay.

 

Ichigo's eyes followed her until she was out of view, then found Ulquiorra's. "I'm not going to do anything like that, you know. I can handle my liquor."

 

"Really? Because you've made an ass out of yourself all night." Ulquiorra bitched. He stood and glared at the man. "You had your chance."

 

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo demanded, also standing. He was a good three or four inches taller than the dark-haired man and tried to emphasize this difference by straightening his posture and stepping closer.

 

"I'm talking about your disgusting display at trying to flirt with Orihime. She's happy here. She has nothing but sadness in her eyes when she talks about her former city. You had your chance to make her happy," Ulquiorra snapped, looking up at Kurosaki. "You missed the boat, so to speak."

 

Chad continued to sit there, eyeing the two other men. Ichigo obviously had some history with Cifer. The animosity was almost overbearing.

 

"That's not the way I see it, Cifer. What's going to happen when it's time for you to go back to wherever you came from? Are you going to take her with you? Do you think she would go? I'm in no rush."

 

He scoffed. "I've already made plans to take her to Germany to visit my family when the school term is over. I have adjusted things so that I can be here for the long term. So if you think you have a chance, you don't, jerk."

 

Ichigo scoffed right back. "Whatever dude. I promised to play nice, for her sake. I suggest you do the same."

 

"I do not have to play nice since you're staying in my home. You are more than welcome to find a hotel to stay at," Ulquiorra sneered. "I promised my girlfriend that I would be civil."

 

Ichigo looked stunned. No one had explicitly told him that Ulquiorra and Orihime were living together. It hadn't occurred to him previously that it was possible. His mouth opened to speak, but no words came out.

 

Cifer had said the words slowly enough and with more anger than Chad had ever mustered in his entire life. He understood the words. "Uh, I think Orihime's ready to go if you two are done."

 

Ichigo left toward the exit without a word.

 

Ulquiorra was right on his heels, followed by Chad. There was no way in hell this conversation was over. It wouldn't be over until Ichigo backed off and went away.

 

Orihime had finished paying and turned around to see the guys standing behind her, looking none-too-happy. Her face fell. "What happened?" she asked, her lower lip coming out in a small pout.

 

"It's nothing, Inoue," Chad explained. "There was a small disagreement about what kind of beer to get."

 

Ulquiorra snorted at that. He had to give this Chad some credit. He seemed more in tune with his friend than Ichigo was. "Kurosaki wanted something harder," the green-eyed man stated.

 

Orihime was relieved. "Oh, well, like I said we have some tequila. We might have a bit of whiskey, don't we, Ulquiorra?"

 

Ichigo did not miss the "we."

 

"I think so. We could pick up some sake too. _We_ can cater to your whims, Kurosaki." Ulquiorra smiled but it was quite fake. It was a sweetly poisoned gesture.

 

Ichigo was incensed, but he wasn't going to let this prick get the best of him. He slowly exhaled through his nostrils and smiled. "How very hospitable. I think we'll make do with just some beer and whatever you two have at home," he said, narrowing his eyes at Ulquiorra at the end.

 

Orihime didn't know why they were being so weird. Well, she understood Ulquiorra's reasoning, even though she didn't think it was necessarily justified. She still didn't know why Ichigo was being so easily baited by Ulquiorra though.

 

"Come on, you guys. Let's go. We can play a video game or watch a movie or play a card game or something. And I want ice cream!" Orihime cheered, trying to steer the atmosphere toward something much less testosterone-charged.

 

***

 

They all sat on the floor of the living room with various bottles of booze and shot glasses littering the table. This entire thing was his idea. They couldn't decide on a card game. They couldn't decide on a movie. The only video game they had was one where Orihime seemed to turn into a different person and hurl insults at people who managed to beat her. Ulquiorra had learned to stay away from his girlfriend and game consoles.

 

So he suggested a rather simple game.

 

 _Never Have I Ever_. As long as her friends stayed on the fairly vanilla side of questioning, Ulquiorra would be fine. He explained the rules this way. "If you have done something, you take a shot. If you haven't, you stay sober."

 

It was fairly straight-forward. Since Orihime was the only female, he let her start with the questioning after filling shot glasses with tequila for everyone.

 

"Hmm," Orihime contemplated for a moment, before looking at Ulquiorra and raising an evil brow at him. "Never have I ever lived abroad."

 

Chad downed his shot.

 

Ulquiorra downed his and then refilled the shot glass, handing the bottle to Chad. "Okay the next person," he said in a strangled way. He'd forgotten how the alcohol burned.

 

It was Ichigo's turn. He looked at Orihime for a moment, letting his eyes sweep over the visible part of her body, before asking, "Never have I ever had a crush on someone in this room." He downed his own shot, his eyes never leaving her.

 

Orihime downed hers.

 

Chad didn't pick up his shot glass. Orihime looked disappointed and looked at Ichigo sympathetically. _It must be one-sided,_ she mused.

 

Ulquiorra looked at Orihime before he did another shot. This time instead of the skull shaped bottle, he went for the vodka he'd purchased, pouring the clear, lemon-flavored liquid into his cup.

 

Chad looked at everyone before he said, "Never have I ever had sex with someone in this room." He was feeling the effects of the alcohol, buzzing pleasantly in his brain.

 

Orihime wasn't sure if what she and Ulquiorra had done counted as 'sex'. She always thought sex was intercourse, and everything else was foreplay. She didn't pick up her glass.

 

Ulquiorra picked up his shot glass and downed it, looking at Orihime as he did so. "Really, Orihime? So you're not even considering-"

 

"Okay, Cifer-san, I do believe it's your turn," Chad said, quickly cutting off the words the pale man was saying. He didn't want to know about details.

 

"Never have I ever bought condoms," Ulquiorra replied. He had filled up his glass but it sat there. He smirked.

 

Ichigo downed his.

 

Chad sighed and downed his.

 

Orihime looked confused. Then it was her turn, again, she realized. "Um, never have I ever, kissed a girl!" she said, feeling the effects of the alcohol and wanting to get a rise out of her companions as she downed her shot and leaned across the table to the whiskey bottle and refilled it.

 

Chad downed his drink, as did Ichigo, who looked at Orihime over the top of his glass with a puzzled look in his eye.

 

Ulquiorra chuckled. "Next question."

 

Orihime looked at Ulquiorra pointedly. "Um, excuse me, sir, but I do believe you've kissed me! Drink up!"

 

"I do believe that we've had sex, too," came the reply.

 

She scoffed and threw him an irritated, nose-scrunching raspberry. "Your turn, Ichigo."

 

Ichigo's eyes grew wide at her use of his given name and he grinned like an idiot. "Thank you, your majesty," he teased before saying, "Never have I ever been in a three-way."

 

Orihime's eyebrows nearly reached her hairline as her eyes flitted from one face to another. She wasn't drinking this time, but she was dying to know who was.

 

Chad tried to covertly pick up his shot glass and take a sip from it before tossing the entire contents into his mouth. He felt his face heat up and didn't look at anyone.

 

"SADO-KUN!" Orihime gasped with a huge grin on her face, and clapped twice. She was impressed.

 

With an impassive face, Ulquiorra picked up his glass and drank. He thumped the container back onto the surface.

 

Orihime's face fell deadly serious, and she glared at her boyfriend.

 

"It was nothing, Inoue. It happened," Chad said. "Uh..."

 

"What?" Ulquiorra asked. "Nel's adventurous."

 

She tipped her chin up and away. She was _not_ impressed. "Sado-kun, it's your turn." She got up and got her ice cream from the freezer and a spoon and came back to the table, not offering any to anyone else.

 

The big man cleared his throat. "Um, never have I ever taken a nude photo or sent a dick pic to someone."

 

Orihime rolled her eyes and reached for her glass, downing it and going back to her ice cream.

 

Ichigo's eyes widened, and he smiled at her appreciatively, before taking his own shot.

 

Shit. Maybe her friends weren't as prudish as he had guessed, Ulquiorra thought as he watched Chad down another portion of alcohol. He glared at Kurosaki however. Never in his fucking lifetime would that ginger-headed git see any of the pics of Orihime. Ulquiorra glared at him before taking his own shot. "Never have I ever gotten a tattoo," Ulquiorra said before filling and emptying his cup.

 

Orihime smirked at this, despite herself. She thought his tattoo was dead sexy. She didn't drink.

 

Ichigo held.

 

Chad drank.

 

It was Orihime's turn. "Never have I ever fantasized about anyone in this room," she said, eyeing her ice cream significantly, before taking out the spoon and dragging it slowly down the length of her outstretched tongue, not trying to hide from anyone. Her pink cheeks didn't darken further than the rose provided be the alcohol. She was in the zone and didn't care who saw.

 

Ichigo nearly choked, then a shaking hand took his glass and downed it. He was still thirsty.

 

Chad almost sputtered a laugh but he held onto his composure. He took a drink.

 

Ulquiorra watched as that utensil was licked by Orihime. Fuck this game and fuck her friends. He had abstained from being pushy and pestering her for sex like he'd heard Ginjo do some nights. He did not want to be that asshole. His fuse however was quickly being shortened with the presence of Kurosaki and Orihime's antics. "Put the ice cream down, O," Ulquiorra said before standing up.

 

"Why?" she asked, looking up at him with an unspoken challenge in her eyes.

 

His eyes darkened looking at her. Raising an eyebrow, Ulquiorra looked at her and then his eyes darted in the direction of their bedroom. "Why? You know why, _liebchen_."

 

"Ah, so you _are_ afraid I'm going to get fat." She dipped her spoon into the ice cream again and stuck it in her mouth, but this time she kept her lips closed over it while she pulled it out of her mouth slowly, sucking all the vanilla creaminess off of it.

 

He could barely contain the growl that was dying to get out. He moved to where Orihime was sitting and knelt down beside her. Pale fingers turned her face and Ulquiorra didn't care if she had a mouth full of sticky, sweetness. He didn't give a flying fuck if her friends were sitting there. He was drunk. He was horny. He was tired of denying himself. He kissed her.

 

Chad's mouth dropped open about the same time Ichigo's did. "Uh," he fumbled for something to say. "I think it's a good time to... Uh… Bed? Let's go to bed, Ichigo."

 

Ichigo was drunk, horny, and frankly, shocked by what was happening right before his eyes. It took him a minute to formulate a coherent thought, and he was halfway to the bedroom before he turned around and said, "Hey, dude, don't you think you ought to wait until she's sober?" The rage he would normally have felt was heavily muted by the amount he had drunk, and it sounded more like a suggestion than a challenge.

 

Desire and passion turned into anger and Ulquiorra turned his head to look at the asshole-the shithead-the fuckwad who dared to disturb him. "What? We're all fucking drunk, so why don't you go with _your boyfriend_ and get fucked."

 

Chad stood there listening to the conversation and blushed. He didn't think that his feelings for his friend were that obvious.

 

Orihime was in her own little world. She smiled at Ulquiorra. "I love you, you know," she murmured. "I should put this ice cream away," she said, looking down at the half-empty container with a forlorn expression.

 

"I can put it away for you," Ulquiorra said. He tried standing but stumbled. Maybe he had a bit too much to drink.

 

Chad was busying trying to pull Ichigo down the hall. He could feel this was going to get messy, if not loud.

 

Orihime got up and took the ice cream back from Ulquiorra. She staggered to the kitchen and put it into the refrigerator instead of the freezer, which she would regret the next morning. She went to a cupboard and took out a large glass and some B vitamins and ibuprofen.

 

She stopped and grabbed one more glass. She filled them both with water and took one to the guest room door. She put some pills on a tissue and knocked on the door before weaving her way back to the living room where Ulquiorra sat in a nearly crumpled heap.

 

"Here you go, babe," she said with a hiccup, passing him some supplements and a pre-emptive pain killer, then the glass of water. "You'll thank me in the morning for this."

 

Ulquiorra sat up and looked at his girlfriend. He took the offered pills and the water, ingesting both. He glanced at Orihime. "Sorry. I know I promised to behave but… You have no idea what you look like with that spoon and the-" He trailed off not knowing what to say that could excuse his behavior.

 

She kissed his mouth. It was sloppy but sweet. "I'll tell you a secret," she said, thinking she was whispering but in reality, she was speaking louder than her normal voice.

 

Ulquiorra put a finger against her lips; they were so soft. "Shhhh, inside voice," he murmured. "Otherwise your friends will hear."

 

Orihime nearly whisper-shouted. "I wished that was your dick instead of a spoon."

 

His eyes widened. His mouth went dry. Ulquiorra could not believe what he was hearing. Hearing Orihime say that she wanted his dick did bad things to his brain; making things short out while giving full power to things like his penis. It didn't need that kind of power. She was drunk. He was drunk. He couldn't allow their first time to be muddled in a hazy, drunken fuck. He knew that's how far it would go too. "Let's go to bed. I want to see if you taste sweeter than the ice cream."

 

"Mmm," she said, her eyes only partially opened, and raised back up to her feet, but then fell back on her butt onto the sofa. "Can we just do it out here?"

 

Ulquiorra hummed. "It'd be rude but we could," he yawned, the alcohol finally started to make him tired. "You could just sit on my face."

 

"I'd probably fall off…" Her eyes were starting to close, but she giggled at herself.

 

They fell asleep like that, cuddling on the couch. Chad was the one to find them. They looked cute together.

 

Ichigo came out next and sighed. He wasn't getting lucky this weekend for sure. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okaeri - "Welcome home"  
> ja, mata kinyoubi - "Until Friday, then."  
> Yoroshiku - DOES NOT TRANSLATE DIRECTLY. In this case, a sarcastic way of saying "nice to meet you."  
> Taiko - Japanese drums  
> Sumimasen! - "Excuse me!" used to call waitstaff. In most restaurants in Japan they will not approach you unless you call them.
> 
> liebchen - lovely
> 
> * Heat Mizer - from the movie a year without santa claus.  
> 


	21. It’s Meat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We apologize for not updating this week. JKR and I have started writing a new fic since PYPANL is done and we spent this week planning and have the first... *squints at* 4 chapters done. We got sidetracked.  
> HOWEVER, this fic will not be posted until December.

 

Ulquiorra woke up to see Orihime's redhead on his chest. She was holding onto his hoodie for dear life though. Gently prying her fingers from his clothes, Ulquiorra sat up, letting his girlfriend lay on the couch. Surprisingly, his head didn't hurt that bad. It could be a lot worse, but he'd take the dull pain. He just needed another painkiller.

 

He stumbled to the kitchen, getting himself a glass of water, draining it without pausing to take a breath. Ulquiorra could hear voices in the other room, but he wasn't going to eavesdrop. It wasn't his business. He wandered into the bedroom, getting a fresh change of clothing before making his way to the bathroom.

 

He needed a shower. He ran into Chad; the big man had a cup in his hand.

 

"Morning, Cifer-san."

 

"Uh, morning Chad." See, he could be polite and civil… Just not to Kurosaki. "Anyone else awake?"

 

"Ichigo is, but he's in there," the taller man said, gesturing to the guest room.

 

"Ah," Ulquiorra drawled. "Um, excuse me I'm going to-" He pointed to the bathroom.

 

"Oh, right."

 

Once Ulquiorra was done with his shower, he emerged from the bathroom to see Kurosaki standing in the doorway of the guest room. He ignored him because he just wasn't in the mood for the man's bullshit so early in the morning.

 

"Mornin'," Ichigo mumbled, obviously not in the best of conditions.

 

He scoffed, contemplating showing Kurosaki a rude gesture. Knowing Ulquiorra's luck, it'd go over the guy's head.

 

Orihime woke up after the guys started moving around the place. They had tried to be quiet but were not successful. She had bedhead and wrinkles pressed into her face from sleeping on Ulquiorra's hoodie. She wobbled over to the kitchen, completely unselfaware, rubbing her bleary eyes and yawning wide. She nearly crashed into Chad.

 

"Good morning, Inoue," Chad said, jumping out of the way before the redhead could walk into him. It was a near collision. "How are you feeling?"

 

She gave him a Cheshire Cat grin. "Never better, Sado-kun!" she said as she stretched her arms far over her head.

 

He wasn't going to look. It'd be rude to look. His brown eyes peeked and quickly averted away. It seemed his friend didn't know she had this appeal to her. "Cifer-san is awake."

 

"Oh good," she said, still wearing that sleepy grin, and headed toward the bathroom.

 

She ran into both Ichigo and Ulquiorra on the way. "Good morning boys," she said still smiling and stretching and talking like some kind of blissed out chipmunk.

 

Ulquiorra turned around and looked at his girlfriend. She was gorgeous even after a night of drinking. "Morning, O," he said in a seductive tone before grabbing her. He kissed her then pulled away with a smirk.

 

"Morning, Orihime," Ichigo called as she was led away. He had to get at least a little dig in.

 

The green-eyed man scowled at him. How dare that— There wasn't a rude name strong enough for Kurosaki but how dare he even address Orihime!

 

Ichigo smirked and took his turn in the bathroom. He saw Ulquiorra flinch, and that was enough of a good morning for him.

 

Kurosaki was petty. He was a trivial, sniveling, petty bitch. It made Ulquiorra so angry. "How's your hangover?" Ulquiorra asked.

 

"What hangover?" Orihime had done well with the vitamins and painkiller and had drank significantly less than the boys. "How about you?"

 

"I'm fine. A bit of a headache but I've already taken something for it. I've had some coffee," he said. Ulquiorra lowered his voice, "I'm a bit disappointed that I can't go through with my usual morning routine though."

 

She smirked. "I'd say I could be quiet, but we both know that it would be a promise I'd be likely to break," she said with another sleepy grin. "I should go and make some breakfast though."

 

"Mmmm. I would love for you to break it but I'm sure your friends wouldn't enjoy the noise. Do you want help?" he asked.

 

"Mmm," she smiled at him, and the thought occurred to her that she might still be a bit drunk. She didn't care. She kissed his chin and started moving toward the kitchen. "If you're up for it, but I think you could use the rest."

 

Ulquiorra wasn't going to argue with her. He was horrible in the kitchen. Since Orihime had moved in with him, he actually ate things at home. "I'll just sit down and stare at you like I usually do."

 

"Sounds good to me," she said before calling out, "are eggs and rice fine for everyone?"

 

"Yeah, that sounds awesome, Hime," Ichigo said as he moved back to the guest room from the bathroom.

 

Ulquiorra let go of Orihime and smiled at her before walking to the guest room. He was past being mad. He was livid. "I understand she's your friend but what gives you the right to call her that? Her name is Orihime and not any shortened form of it."

 

"Dude, calm down. Tatsuki used to call her that all the time. Since we're _friends_ , I thought it would be fine."

 

"She specifically said NOT to call her princess, and I don't know who this Tatsuki is, but I do not want Orihime to be reminded of Ginjo," Ulquiorra snapped. "You can abide by these rules or get the fuck out of my home."

 

Ichigo was at a loss for words. He was surprised that the green-eyed man even knew which part of Orihime's name meant princess, and he felt like a jerk for being compared to Ginjo. "Sorry," he finally said in a small voice. Then he added as an aside, "I know Ginjo was a total dickwad but why is he so taboo to talk about?"

 

Had Orihime not mentioned what she had gone through with Ginjo? Did her friends not know of the verbal abuse she suffered? How scared she was of the man? "He hurt Orihime. He scared her. Ginjo spread rumors about her so she couldn't get her own place after he kicked her out of the apartment. I was there. I saw the breakdown. It's trauma or something. I don't want her upset. Can you comprehend that?"

 

Ichigo's face contorted into something truly frightening and his skin became redder. "Where the fuck is he, Cifer? And why didn't you do anything about it?" He growled.

 

"He's probably at his apartment which is practically on the other side of town. Why didn't I do anything? I don't know Kurosaki; I got knocked on my ass once by him. Not much I can do to people bigger than me, and Japan's laws don't allow for weapons so excuse me if I'm not delivering ass beatings." Ulquiorra scoffed. "If you're such great friends with O, why didn't you say something when you knew she was with a stupid motherfucker like that?"

 

It was Ichigo's turn to scoff. He didn't know why, so he changed the subject. "Why do you call her that?"

 

"Because she is much more than Orihime to me. She has always been O; she's my pussycat in the pea-green boat. She's the woman I plan on having a future with," replied Ulquiorra with a blank expression. "I call her O because that's the only name I knew her by."

 

Ichigo did not understand what he was talking about, so he decided to let it go. He was about to join Chad in the living room but stopped and turned to the side, "Tatsuki is her best friend, I would think someone who is in the position you claim to have would know that," he said and then went to sit on the sofa.

 

Ulquiorra gritted his teeth and sneered at the ginger-headed asshole. Did this idiot not stop to think about Orihime's past? Did he not understand that maybe he didn't want to cause his woman pain by bringing up people who had left Orihime. "Like I said," Ulquiorra stated before he went into the bedroom to retrieve his phone and other belongings that he needed for the day. "Some friends you guys are."

 

He went into the kitchen and kissed Orihime on the cheek. "I'm going out for a bit. You stay here with your friends and entertain them," he told the redhead.

 

"Oh? Where are you going? You haven't even had breakfast yet."

 

He sighed, "O, I'm going to Urahara's, and I promise to get something from a vending machine. I'll be back in a couple of hours. You need time with your friends. If I'm here all, that's going to happen is— A fight. I'm going to punch Kurosaki."

 

She looked at him in confusion. "Why do you dislike him so much?" She was somewhat amused, but she could tell Ulquiorra was serious and didn't want to make light of his feelings. "I know he has been picking on you, and I plan on addressing that, but I don't know why you let him bother you."

 

If it was just Kurosaki being a bully, Ulquiorra could handle it. It was much more than that. Ever since he was young, he had a possessive and jealous streak. Being an only child made it worse. He had never applied this practice to people, so the whole green with envy mindset was unsettling for him.

 

Ulquiorra would not allow anyone to take Orihime away from him. "I wouldn't be bothered if he was just baiting me. He wants you, O. Kurosaki wants you as I want you. I can't-" the dark-haired man looked away from her. "I've got to go. I'll be back shortly."

 

"Wait," she called out, but he was already out the door.

 

***

 

Ulquiorra walked into the bookstore, kicking and stomping the snow from his feet beforehand. He nodded to Tessai and then wandered through the place, looking at various titles. His hand grazed over the Poe anthology. He plucked it from its place, tucking it under one arm. Further back in the store, he ran into Urahara.

 

"Cifer! Good to see you."

 

"Urahara," Ulquiorra said. "I'd like to make another purchase. I know we discussed that _Nonsense Songs_ was to be delivered to Orihime with flowers but I need to give the book to her today."

 

Urahara scratched his chin with the tip of his fan. "Hmmm. Let me guess; you want to buy good, old Poe? Right?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Twenty-two hundred thousand yen."

 

"You're fucking mad."

 

"Now, now Cifer. Collector's item, after all." Urahara snapped the fan open. "You can swing it. After all, your parents-"

 

Ulquiorra sighed. "My parents and my finances are not up for discussion!"

 

"C'mon, you sit on a throne of medicine. Parents founded a huge pharmaceutical research company," Urahara said, in a cautious tone. "Ginjo's been in here. Said, he found some papers of Miss Inoue's that had our address on it. He's looking for Orihime."

 

That sounded like a warning.

 

"If you're trying to tell me something, then just say it," Ulquiorra replied. He did not like playing games.

 

The blond shopkeeper tilted his head, but Ulquiorra couldn't see his eyes under the brim of that stupid striped hat. "Take Inoue and get as far away as you can? Ginjo's dangerous. Now, come to the front so you can get your book."

 

"I'm not paying that much for a stupid old book!"

 

***

 

Orihime was cleaning up after breakfast and thinking about what Ulquiorra had said. Surely he must be mistaken. Ichigo did not and never had _wanted_ her.

 

When she was done cleaning, she went to her bedroom to gather her clothes and things she would need for her shower. She didn't realize at first that Ichigo had followed her in. "Orihime," he said.

 

Orihime yelped and jumped, spinning around. "Kurosaki-kun, what are you doing in here?"

 

Ichigo shut the door behind him. "So it's back to 'Kurosaki-kun now, is it?" he asked her with sad puppy eyes.

 

Orihime cringed. "I don't know, it's just what I'm used to," she admitted.

 

"I liked it when you said my name, Orihime."

 

Orihime blushed. "I'm sorry, I just feel weird saying it now that we're sober, you know?" She laughed awkwardly. "Is there something else? Something about Sado-kun?"

 

"No, Chad's cool. I just wanted to know, what do you see in that Cifer guy?"

 

Orihime turned around and gave him the most beautiful smile he had ever seen her wear, and it almost made him smile in return. Then she gave him an answer that dashed all of his hopes in one word when she said, "Everything."

 

She left him sitting against the side of her bed and went to take a shower.

 

***

  

He got a coffee drink from a machine and drank it on his way back to the apartment. His stomach was in knots from what Urahara had told him. Ginjo was on the prowl for Orihime. The bastard had given the shopkeeper a sob story about how the woman had gone missing, and he was worried about her. Ginjo stated that some foreigner seduced her.

 

Ulquiorra snorted. That was a likely fucking story if he was Peter Pan. Ginjo most likely didn't like being an adult and having to pay bills, cook his own food and clean his apartment.

 

When it came to chores and budgeting, Ulquiorra always did more than his share because Orihime had enough stress in her life. Ginjo had treated her more like a maid or a slave than a partner or lover. It made him angry just thinking about it. What lengths would Ginjo go to? How desperate would the man become if Orihime was out of his grasp?

 

By the time he reached the apartment building and walked up the stairs, he didn't have a solution to the problem. Running away seemed to be a silly way to handle issues. Ulquiorra heard the shower running. It had to be Orihime because he heard her singing which sounded decent when she wasn't drunk. After taking his shoes off, he walked into the living room then into his bedroom where he found a different ginger sitting on his bed.

 

"What the fuck are you doing in here? Why are you sitting on my bed? Why-" Ulquiorra cut off his words. Orihime was in the shower. Ichigo was sitting on his bed. It didn't take much for him to put two and two together to get what happened. While he was gone, this asshole had taken advantage of his absence and fucked his girlfriend. "What the fuck, Kurosaki?"

 

"Jesus, Cifer. Calm down; you're going to have a stroke. Nothing happened."

 

"Funny how I didn't accuse you of anything. You must have a guilty conscience," Ulquiorra shouted. He threw the wrapped book on the bed. "I will not calm down. You waited until I was gone."

 

"Yeah I waited, there was no talking to her while you were here breathing down her neck all the time. I just asked her what she saw in a guy like you!" Ichigo snapped back. If Ulquiorra was at all rational, he might have noticed that Ichigo was looking somewhat defeated already.

 

Breathing down her neck? Ulquiorra never did that! He scowled. "Did you EVER ask her what she saw in Ginjo? Did you ever ask her that? She doesn't have to justify her choices to you! I plan on asking her to marry me, what are you going to say to her then? None of you helped her, none of you reached out to her until you needed her!"

 

"You WHAT?!" Ichigo stood and stepped toward Ulquiorra.

 

Ulquiorra wasn't at all intimidated by Kurosaki. After all, Ginjo had knocked him in the face. "You heard me. I'm going to ask Orihime to marry me. I want to protect her from whatever demons she has in her past, and whatever may come up in the future. All you want to do is to fuck her!"

 

Ichigo scoffed. "You don't know shit about what I want. You don't know shit about me, or how Orihime and I were before she moved up here, so don't go around assuming I never cared about her, because I do!"

 

"Really? Because Orihime has told me several times how she thought the sun rose and set on your ass and you did nothing but ignore her. Justify that, Kurosaki."

 

Ichigo slumped back on the bed. "I can't."

 

Now Ulquiorra saw it. He saw the face of someone who couldn't win. Someone who had been pushed too far. Someone who had been brutally beaten down. His anger faded to annoyance. "You know nothing about me. You don't know who I am. I'm not here to hurt or use Orihime."

 

"I know she _thinks_ she loves you," Ichigo grumbled.

 

"Uh, I hate to interrupt, but, uh..." Chad pointed down to where a redhead was walking down the hallway towards the men. "Inoue, incoming."

 

Ichigo jumped up from the bed and to the living room.

 

"I'm ready to go whenever you guys are," Orihime said as she approached.

 

***

  

They arrived at the snow lantern festival in the midafternoon, just before the sun began to dip into the horizon. The freshly fallen snow from the night before made the pathways somewhat treacherous, but the foursome came prepared with boots and had little difficulty.

 

The grounds themselves looked like a winter wonderland. There were hundreds of full-sized lanterns carved out of packed snow, each with a candle inside waiting to be lit at dusk. There were other snow sculptures and ice sculptures, backlit by colored lights.

 

In an area near the shrine, a stage made of packed snow had been erected, and there was a group of people setting up taiko drums for a performance. Then there were the food and drink stalls.

 

Orihime was in heaven. She couldn't decide where she wanted to stop first. They decided to take a pass around the festival grounds just to see what was available first, and then, being cold and still a bit hungover, stopped at the adjacent museum for a coffee and to browse the souvenir shop, waiting for night to fall to go back out and really take in the magic of the festival.

 

Ulquiorra didn't know how almost falling on his ass and freezing said ass off was romantic. This festival was just a bunch of stylized snowmen. He walked around with a grumpy look on his face.

 

Ichigo was acting much more subdued than the previous day, though he seemed to be enjoying the sights and smells. "Where do you want to go after this?" he asked the group.

 

Orihime had a mental list prepared, but didn't want to seem bossy, so she held her tongue. Her eyes, however, expressed her excitement perfectly well as they moved from one of her companions' faces to the next.

 

Chad was silent as usual. He had come up here to enjoy this mini vacation. He was enjoying being a tourist. As much as he trained and worked, he didn't get much off time, so this was nice. "When does the drum performance start?" He finally asked.

 

"Seven!" Orihime answered, overly enthusiastic. They still had about two and a half hours before then. She looked past her friends and boyfriend to the souvenir area behind them. "If you guys don't mind, I want to look over there for a little bit. You can stay here, if you want," she said, standing and excusing herself.

 

Chad stayed.

 

Ulquiorra contemplated following her, but he remembered what Kurosaki said. Maybe he was too overbearing. Maybe he needed to give Orihime her space. He glared at the snow-covered ground.

 

Ichigo stayed and watched her walk away. Then he looked back at the other two men at the table, then down into his empty coffee cup. No one said a word. It was awkward. After another minute of deliberating, he sighed and set his cup down, then stood to follow Orihime.

 

When he caught up to her, he asked what she was looking at. She showed him some postcards she was considering for Tatsuki and Uryu, then a little compact mirror she had picked out for herself.

 

Ichigo hummed and nodded and looked around for himself.

 

Orihime sighed when he backed off. She was looking for something else, and didn't really want an audience. She browsed a bit more and then found it. Stylized carvings of Chinese zodiac signs. They were cute, wearing little Uesugi samurai family crests on their festival attire. She did the math in her head and figured out that Ulquiorra was born in the year of the monkey. She browsed the shelf and found one that was actually a set of three: the see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil monkeys. They were adorable. It was perfect. She put them in her basket and went straight to the register; she didn't want to risk Ulquiorra seeing them if she spent any more time browsing.

 

He was on his second cup of coffee and since Orihime's other friend had wandered off, he sat alone, staring at the twilight that was quickly falling. He caught glimpses of Orihime as she wandered around looking at things. She was short, and there would be times she got lost behind taller people. Ulquiorra wasn't watching for her. He just wanted to make sure that everything was okay. If Ginjo were to show up…

 

Gulping down the lukewarm contents of the cup, Ulquiorra stood and made his way to where Orihime went. He had to be rational about this. His brain was screaming at him to think logically about the situation. Ginjo wouldn't come to a stupid festival just to harass someone.

 

Slowing his frantic steps, the dark-haired man forced his expression into a passive state and then went to look for the redhead. He didn't have to look far.

 

She saw him coming just as the woman behind the cash register had finished wrapping her gift. She sighed in relief, her surprise preserved, and smiled at Ulquiorra as he approached. "Hi, Babe!" She had used the term of endearment the night before and received no reaction whatsoever. She was interested to know if the behavior would repeat itself.

 

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow and stopped. Babe? He vaguely remembered her calling him that last night at some point. It was way better than what Nel use to call him.

 

Ulqui.

 

He never liked it. Just because Nel liked to shorten her own name didn't mean Ulquiorra did. He liked his name. However, this wasn't a nickname. This was an endearment. It was a loving term, just like he called her O. Ulquiorra gave her a small smile. "Hey, what'd you buy?"

 

"Oh, this and that," she said with a coy smile. "Some postcards and a compact mirror, and something for someone else..." she looked at him as she said it, waggling her eyebrows at him.

 

"You didn't get me anything? I'm wounded," he teased, before offering his arm to her. Ulquiorra bit his lip wondering if this was the right place to talk about what was on his mind. "I got you a present today."

 

She looked genuinely surprised and threaded her arm through his. "Really? What's the occasion?"

 

He shook his head. "No occasion. I just wanted to get you something. You deserve it."

 

"Aw," She said, squeezing his arm. "Glad I got you something then," she played at being profoundly relieved.

 

"You did not have to get me anything, Orihime. I… I just want you to know that."

 

She gave his arm another squeeze. "Neither did you," she said quietly and found his eyes, smiling.

 

Just the way she looked at him, it set his heart on fire. The curve of her lips and the way the stars seemed to be in her eyes. Ulquiorra blushed, hoping the darkening atmosphere would hide it. He also pulled his scarf up around his face. "Chad wandered off, where's your other friend?"

 

"I don't know, he came by to see what I was doing but then he started browsing on his own." She swiveled her head around to look for the carrot-top, but she was too short to see anything over the racks.

 

Ulquiorra didn't see Kurosaki either. He sighed then turned to Orihime. "I need to speak with you about something."

 

"Now?"

 

"I realize that now is not the optimal time but the sooner, the better."

 

"Alright. You have my attention. Is something wrong?" Orihime asked, concern etched on her forehead.

 

Did he ask her outright about what happened with her friend? Did he agitate that wound that Kurosaki was licking? "I found Kurosaki in our room when I returned. Did he— Was he inappropriate towards you?"

 

She smiled, "No, apart from entering the room uninvited, he didn't do anything wrong. He just wanted a private conversation. It didn't last long."

 

"If you want to go back to Karakura or wherever you're from, you don't have to stay here for me, Orihime," Ulquiorra said. "I know you have a life here but if you have a better support system down there..." he trailed off.

 

Her face showed pain. Pain at the thought that Ulquiorra might be suffering under the idea that she might want to leave his side. "That's not true. Here I have you. There I have no one. Don't let Kurosaki-kun plant ideas in your head. I don't know if you're right about him being attracted to me, but if you are, and that's why he's here, then I am disappointed in him. He should know better than to put words into my mouth."

 

He shook his head. Ulquiorra glanced at Orihime. She looked as troubled as he was feeling. "Kurosaki said I was breathing down your neck. Maybe he's correct. I'm hovering and being overzealous with showing you affection."

 

She was offended by the very thought. "That is ridiculous. If anything I want you closer than you have been. You are not as showy with your emotions as you may think."

 

At that moment, he wanted to scoop the woman off her feet and take her back home. Ulquiorra didn't though because people were around and that'd probably make Orihime blush like a schoolgirl. It'd be adorable. He leaned close to her so that he could whisper into her ear. "I don't care if we have guests, O. _Tonight, you are mine_."

 

She shivered. She blushed. She closed her eyes and whispered back, "Is that a promise or a threat?" Then she pulled back to find his eyes with a tiny smirk on her face.

 

"It's a promise I should have kept months ago," he replied. Ulquiorra's eyes had darkened to a murky green and hunger filled them. "I should have kept my promise the night on that mountaintop."

 

"What promise?" It _was_ a long time ago.

 

He chuckled and tilted his head, looking at her. She amused him. "You really want me to make you blush in front of all these people? I do believe I promised to do more than just fuck you. I told you that I'd make you mine."

 

Blush she did. "Can I tell you a secret?" she asked through a tiny smile.

 

"Another secret? Is it going to be as jaw-dropping as last night's secret?"

 

"Wait, what?" she asked, her confident smirk wiped off her face. Then, slowly, her mouth fell open, and her palm not on Ulquiorra's arm came to cover her eyes. "I cannot believe I said that. I'm so sorry… that was _not_ appropriate."

 

His smile turned into a smirk. "Baby, you're not the only one who wished that."

 

She grinned, still blushing and covering her eyes. Then she laughed. "Please tell me our guests we're already asleep by then."

 

Ulquiorra shrugged. "I could not have cared less if they heard it or not. Just like later tonight. I'm not going to care."

 

She bit her lower lip and uncovered her eyes, bringing them to his and seeing the fire in them. Her nostrils flared as she took in a shuddering breath. She knew he meant what he was saying.

 

The dark-haired man would have replied, but Chad walked up to them, eating something on a stick. "What is that?" Ulquiorra asked.

 

"It's meat." Chad pointed behind him. "A bunch of food stalls are that way."

 

Orihime couldn't help the "mmm" that slipped her lips at the smell.

 

Ulquiorra glanced at the food Chad was holding and then at Orihime. He hadn't eaten yet. He tugged on his girlfriend's hand. "I know that sound. C'mon," he said pulling her along.


	22. O Say Can U. C.

The evening had been fun. While Chad and Ichigo walked in front of Ulquiorra and Orihime, the couple traded whispered musings on whether or not the two men were a couple. The dark-haired man had laughed at some of the stuff the redhead had said, but other than that, he was pleasant. He was polite to their guests and even got several chances to feel up his girlfriend, Ulquiorra's cold hand slipping under her parka. Every time he did it, she yelped.

 

The four of them ate from the food carts, viewed the various sculptures and lanterns, and listened to the taiko performance. Orihime was dazzled. To her, it was incredibly romantic, fondling cold fingers notwithstanding.

 

They each had a cup of hot, unfiltered sake. The warm liquid was a welcome treat to all. Almost all, anyway.

 

"What is this?"

 

"It's sake," Chad answered. "It's good."

 

Ulquiorra couldn't even bring the cup to his face. "Good? Have you all had your taste buds burned off and your sense of smell compromised? This smells like a dirty French whore. It probably tastes just as bad."

 

"Ulquiorra!" Orihime admonished. "First of all, it's _unfiltered_ sake, so all the rice particles and yeast are still in it. Second, what kind of experience do you have with French whores?"

 

"You've never met Loly, and I hope you never do," he replied. "This smells like a yeast infection!"

 

"Dude! There are ladies present!" Ichigo said, tipping his head toward Orihime with significance.

 

Chad had to keep from laughing, but he nodded. "But it does kind of...smell..." He stared at the contents of the cup then tossed it into the nearest trash receptacle.

 

Ulquiorra's expression turned smug. "See," he said. "Orihime is one of the purest people I know. You've never met any whores have you Kurosaki? I have dated a whore. It's not pleasant."

 

"I can't say that I have," he said, now pouring the remaining contents of his cup into a snowbank, his nose scrunched up in disgust.

 

Orihime's face looked disturbed. She didn't say anything. She didn't like to think about Ulquiorra with anyone else, much less someone he would describe as a 'whore'.

 

"Hands down this is one of the most disgusting things I've ever had to experiences, and I've had vegemite," Ulquiorra said and copied Kurosaki's move, pouring the liquid into the snow.

 

Ichigo had also tried vegemite and chuckled. "It's not _that_ bad."

 

"No, it just tastes like salty ass."

 

Despite having no love for the guy, Ichigo laughed at Ulquiorra's comment. "Salty ass? Ha! That's one way to describe it. Stop eating out mermaids and whores, dude." Ichigo laughed even harder at his own comment.

 

Ulquiorra had to chuckle at that, but then he sobered up when he saw Orihime's face. "I apologize. My behavior is rude. I can see you have questions and I'll gladly answer them, and you all can make fun of me and laugh."

 

"Where'd you find a French whore?" Chad asked.

 

"About three years ago. I dated her and didn't find out Loly was one until I saw her working," Ulquiorra stated. "She's a friend of Nel, who is my ex."

 

"Then who is Ms. Salty-ass?" Ichigo asked, laughing like a kid talking about boobies.

 

Those green eyes narrowed. "Being drunk and in a threesome puts you in an interesting position. That's all I'll say about it."

 

Orihime had heard enough. "Excuse me," is all she said before she stormed away with no specific destination in mind.

 

"Uh oh," Ichigo teased. He smiled for another two seconds before he realized he sounded like a total asshole. His face fell. "Um, do you want me to...?" he addressed Ulquiorra.

 

He shook his head. "This is my doing because I was dumb enough to field your questions. I've told Orihime very little about myself regarding my former relationships."

 

"Yeah, you might have been better off taking that to the grave, man," Ichigo said, rocking back on his heels awkwardly.

 

Chad cleared his throat. "You should go talk to her Cifer-san."

 

Ulquiorra mulled this over before nodding his head. "I'll be back with or without my balls. She looks mad."

 

With that, he walked off after the short redheaded woman. When he caught up to her, Ulquiorra did not grab her by the arm. He was afraid of getting hit by her again. She had a nasty left hook. "Orihime," he said to her. "Where are you going?"

 

"Nowhere," she replied, not looking at him. "Just leave me alone."

 

"I can't. We said we'd leave our pasts behind us, remember? What are you mad about? Because I've had sex?"

 

She stopped. She turned her head toward him and gave him a look he had never seen before. A look that said, " _I am so over this bullshit"._ Then she said, in a cold voice, "No," and started walking again.

 

He sighed and caught up to her again. This time he grabbed her arm, yanking her to a stop. "You're lying. I can see you're mad; tell me why. I wasn't implying anything about you. I'm older than you, not by much. I've also have had more skilled partners. All the women I've been with taught me something."

 

"Oh, silly me! What was _I_ thinking?" she shouted, bitterly sarcastic. "Sorry that I'm 'so innocent' and 'unskilled'. But you know what? I didn't think you were implying anything about me until just now! _Mattaku... Baka!"_ she stomped away, her face warped into an angry grimace.

 

He knew one of those words! She was calling him an idiot. "I am not an idiot! I never said you were innocent. Compared to those bitches that used me you're a fucking saint. I've never said you were unskilled but fine!" But it wasn't fine. Ulquiorra stomped after her, spinning her around when he grabbed her this time. "Leave the past where it belongs. You are my future. You're the only woman I want; the only one I see, Orihime. You're my O, remember?"

 

"How am I supposed to leave the past behind when you keep rubbing it in my face? It feels like not three days go by without you bringing up Nel. Nel did this, Nel was like that. You know what? I don't want to know what she is like. You don't hear me comparing every banana at the grocery store to Ginjo, do you?" She was livid.

 

"I've heard Ginjo fucking you before. I know he is a bad lover. I know what you sound like," Ulquiorra growled. "The only reason I bring her up is because you give me that little quizzical look that screams who, what, when and why."

 

With that, he turned around and retreated. If Orihime didn't want to forgive him, fine; he would sleep on that lumpy couch tonight.

 

Orihime let him walk away. She kept walking toward home.

 

He walked back to where Kurosaki and Chad were standing. "You're up Kurosaki. She's mad. I'm probably going to sleep on the couch or with you two because that's how mad she is," Ulquiorra snapped

 

Ichigo's mouth pressed into a hard line, and he nodded, jogging off in the direction Ulquiorra had come from. It took awhile to find her. She was almost clear of the moat when he did. "Orihime, wait up!" he called.

 

She stopped, and he caught up to her, expecting to face some backlash from her and Ulquiorra's confrontation. He didn't expect to see her wiping snot off her nose and blubbering like a baby. "What?" is all he managed to say.

 

She shook a hand at him as if to dismiss his worries. "Don't worry about it, Kurosaki-kun," she choked.

 

"Um, I know we were being pretty crude, but I don't think it's reason to be so upset," he said gently, laying his palm on her shoulder. "Why don't you come back and we can all have a drink and forget about it, huh?"

 

Orihime furrowed her brows and looked at him with an icy expression. "Did he tell you to say that? Well, you and your new best friend can drink and talk about exes and whores all you like. I don't want to hear about it."

 

"Orihime, What is really your problem with this?"

 

She sniffed hard and tried to compose herself. "I don't think he's over his ex. He talks about her all the time, and every time he does, it breaks my heart a little. I don't like it when he compares me to her. I don't like that he thinks of us in the same context at all."

 

Ichigo sighed. "Orihime, if you only knew."

 

She looked at him with a puzzled expression.

 

"Come on, Hime. Sorry, he's not here, so I'm going to call you like Tatsuki does, ok?"

 

That earned him a little smile.

 

"Anyway, come back. I'll talk to Cifer. I'm sure it will all be fine." He squeezed her shoulder and gave her one of his most charming grins.

 

Her heart melted a little. She remembered why she admired him so much. She took a deep breath and nodded, following him back to Chad and Ulquiorra.

 

Ulquiorra looked like he was beating himself up about this and Chad had to listen to the German man speak rapid English that he could only catch parts of what he was saying. He patted Cifer's shoulder sympathetically. "Here comes Ichigo and he has Orihime with him," he said.

 

"Great," Ulquiorra said in a flat voice.

 

Ichigo called out, "Chad! Hey, can you take Hime to get one of those little warm manju things? She was saying she wanted one and I'm out of cash," he lied, looking Ulquiorra in the eye, begging him not to fuck this up.

 

"Sure," Chad said. He was probably being sent on this mission so that they could talk. "C'mon Orihime. There's a stall selling them by the shrine gate."

 

He let the redhead lead the way and nodded to Ichigo. Chad didn't want any animosity tonight.

 

It was Ulquiorra that turned to the orange-haired man and looked at him. "What?"

 

"Are you still hung up on your ex?" Ichigo got straight to the point.

 

"What? No. I do not wish to see Nel ever again. I don't think about her but Orihime-She questions things I do."

 

"Well, I hate to gang up on you, but I just met you yesterday, and I've heard you talk about her multiple times. It's not a big stretch for Hime to make that assumption," Ichigo said, trying to be delicate.

 

"Okay, you know Orihime. Her face speaks louder than her voice could," Ulquiorra said. He sounded like an idiot. He was pouring his heart out to his competition. He felt dumb, giving Kurosaki the bullets to take shots at him. "Look, I know Orihime is different. My past relationships were not based on anything but lies. I know I could explain things better but to explain my past is to mention Nel, Cirucci, and Loly."

 

Ulquiorra sighed. "I'm stupid."

 

"I'm not going to argue with that," Ichigo said with a wry smile. "Maybe because your previous relationships were all bad, you don't know much about how your actions affect others, but Hime was a mess when I caught up to her. It looked like she had been crying since the moment you left her. You may think bringing up Nel is no big deal and that Hime should know that you're over her, but clearly, Hime is deeply hurt by it. And really think about it. Even if you aren't in love with your ex, even if the only reason you think of her is that Hime puts her to shame in every way and you can't help compare night and day, to Hime, it only means that you think about Nel when you think about her. She doesn't want that. She's played second fiddle her whole life." Ichigo looked guilty when he said the last line.

 

He opened his mouth several times to say something, but Ulquiorra knew Kurosaki was right. "I should have never answered her letters," he muttered. "I should have just kept to myself. Emotions, feelings, hearts; I can't see it, but they're there."

 

Ichigo couldn't stand it. This fucking guy. He had her heart, and he was just going to feel sorry for himself? He pushed him. Hard. "Get your head out of your ass, Cifer. Don't make me change my mind about you two."

 

Ulquiorra stumbled but caught himself before he went ass over tea kettle into a snow drift. He glared up at Kurosaki. "My head is not up my ass," he said. "Fine, I won't mention Nel ever again; what am I supposed to do when she gives me those looks? Ignore her or wait for her to ask?"

 

"What 'looks'?"

 

He couldn't explain it! The way she looked at him with those big dark eyes and how she tilted her head to the side and pursed her mouth just so… Ulquiorra didn't realize he was saying all of this out loud. "She looks so confused and puzzled that I just feel compelled to answer what she never asked."

 

Ichigo sighed. He felt pity for Ulquiorra. "You get used to it," he said. "Anyway, word to the wise, _nobody_ likes to hear about their love interest's previous relationships, especially not by _name,_ do you get what I mean? Just leave the names out of it. It's not like Hime expects you to be some pure creature. She just does not want to have to put a name on your past conquests. It feels too real."

 

It was on the tip of his tongue to give a smart ass answer like how he never wanted to hear Ginjo fucking her, but he restrained himself. Kurosaki was right, and Ulquiorra was being a brat about this. It wasn't like Orihime asked for much. "Fine. You're right. I'll apologize to Orihime."

 

"Good. And now I am done helping you fix things with Orihime. From here on out you are on your own, and I won't be surprised…" Ichigo stopped and slid his eyes to Ulquiorra to see if he had successfully baited him.

 

He rolled his eyes. "Dream on, Carrot Top. It's futile."

 

"Ha. If you only knew her six years ago." He couldn't help twisting the knife.

 

***

 

He found Chad and Orihime waiting in a line. He cleared his throat and said, "Chad you can go back to Ichi-Kurosaki. Kurosaki. He wanted to talk to you about something. I can stand here with Orihime if she'll let me."

 

He purposely looked at her, pleading.

 

Chad looked down at his friend, wondering if it was okay to leave her. Then the words Cifer said, sank in. "Wait, did you just-"

 

"No. I called him Kurosaki."

 

"Oh, Inoue? Will you be alright?"

 

Orihime nodded. She didn't say anything or look anywhere but directly in front of her.

 

He waited until Chad walked away. Kurosaki would probably curse his name when his friend got back to him. Ulquiorra took a deep breath and turned his attention back to Orihime. "Woman, please. I am a baka. I did not realize how much mentioning-I don't mention that bastard because of how he affected you. I would never compare you to anyone I've ever met. Please, Orihime. Look at me?"

 

Orihime's lower lip trembled. She was afraid to look at him. She was afraid to listen to him. She was afraid of crying in public, _again._ She took a deep breath and blew it out before she managed to turn her face toward his.

 

"Inoue Orihime," Ulquiorra stepped closer to her. "I'm sorry. I am an inconsiderate and tactless asshole, and I should have given your feelings for former parties that have been in my life more consideration. I thought it would help you understand things about me better. I don't care about Nelliel Tu Oderschvank. I don't care about anyone but you. I want you to be my wife. That is something I have _never_ offered to anyone. I've never even considered it. Why you? Someone who dug deep under my skin and made me rethink things. An anonymous letter. Ginjo was an owl who left you. You wrote about the bat and how the pussycat fell in love. I don't want this to be a trivial fight about some woman who I could not care less about."

 

"What did you say?" She whispered. She had no voice to use at the moment. His words had stolen it.

 

"O, I don't just give my heart to anyone. In fact, I don't think I've ever been in love before this."

 

Tears came to her eyes. She breathed hard through her nose and managed them, mostly, pressing the backs of her hands to her eyes and then sighing. "Ok. Um, me either."

 

He pulled her closer to him, so Ulquiorra didn't have to talk as loud. "Come back home with me. Just to talk and I'll give you something, that gift."

 

She sniffled and nodded, affording him a small, shaky smile.

 

***

 

Ulquiorra unlocked the apartment door and allowed Orihime to enter first as he always did because his mother did not raise him in a mannerless household. He closed and locked the door. As they were removing shoes and coats, he watched her. Orihime seemed guarded. It was his fault. He had dug a hole for himself that he was scrambling to get out of, but the sides kept collapsing, pulling dirt on top of him.

 

"O, it's in the bedroom, but I can bring it out to the living room if you like. I understand you're unhappy with me," he stated. Without waiting for Orihime to answer, he walked down the hall and into their room.

 

She followed him inside. "I'm not 'unhappy' with you at the moment; I'm just not over how bad I felt before."

 

"You should have let me know that I was being an ass before this. If you had said something I would have never mentioned— I would have never said anything." Ulquiorra replied. He turned and gestured for Orihime to sit on the bed.

 

He had moved the package before they left. It was sitting on the dresser. Ulquiorra picked it up and held it out to her. "Gomen nasai," he said in shaky Japanese. He'd probably butchered his apology.

 

Orihime's heart melted at his clumsy attempt to apologize in Japanese, and she smiled a sweet little lip-tipping curve. She took the gift. "Do you want me to-?"

 

"Please, go ahead. I know it's rude and this will be a culture clash. I want to see your face asye you open it," he said, sitting beside her on the bed.

 

"Ok," she said nervously, and carefully started to remove to paper from the gift. She pulled it away and saw the familiar cover of _Nonsense Songs._ She looked at Ulquiorra in confusion. "Did you?"

 

"It's yours."

 

Her heart was pounding, and her voice quivered. "This is… Is this _our_ book?" She just couldn't believe it.

 

He gave her a small smile. "The very same one," Ulquiorra stated before flipping the cover and following pages open to _The Owl and The Pussycat._ However, something was blocking the page. His eyes went wide with horror. When he had taken the book back to Urahara's he'd written a note to O, it was a half apology and a breakup letter. He'd forgotten all about it. If the letter was in the book that meant the CD with those stupid heartfelt songs was there under the book.

 

Orihime smiled when she saw the printer paper Ulquiorra had always used to write to her as U. C. She reached for the letter and pulled it out, leaving the book on her lap. She opened the letter and read:

 

 

> Dear O,
> 
> You and I have intertwined our lives in such a short time that I don't know how to say this. I made you a cd with the songs on it because I know how you are. You'll search for these songs far and wide. I decided to help you.
> 
> One Republic - Apologize
> 
> Birdy and Rhodes - Let It All Go
> 
> Damien Rice - Cannonball
> 
> Go Radio - What if You Don't
> 
> We The Kings - Sad Song
> 
> Ronan Keating - When You Say Nothing At All
> 
> If this is my last letter to you, I want you to know how truly and utterly I regret making you cry.
> 
> Love,
> 
> Ulquiorra Cifer.

 

She read it twice, her brow furrowing deeper and deeper as she went. When she finished, she looked at Ulquiorra with a baffled expression.

 

"I forgot that was in there," he said quietly. "I thought Urahara would have thrown it away. He seemed like he— I wrote it when we were fighting after we moved in here. I was going to have the book delivered to your workplace with flowers and— It was going to be given to you on Valentine's day."

 

Ulquiorra stared at the floor, a blank look on his face. If he had merely dug a hole for himself before… He buried himself now.

 

Orihime watched Ulquiorra turn into the picture of dejection and her heart twisted. She set the book on the bedside table and said nothing as she turned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him to her, burying her face in his hair. She took a deep breath, letting the scent of him fill her sinuses and then gently sighing it out. "I love you, Ulquiorra," she whispered. "That would have been a very grand gesture."

 

He bit his lip and slipped his arms around her. Ulquiorra pulled her into his lap, feeling her weight settle against him. "I might still do it, except instead of the book, it'd be flowers, chocolates and maybe lingerie or jewelry," he said. He pulled back from the hug and cupped her face with his hands. Ulquiorra pressed his lips to hers. His tongue lapped at her mouth before letting go of her face; his hands trailed down the back of the sweater she was wearing. She was so beautiful.

 

She opened her mouth and breathed softly into his mouth once before bringing her lips back to his. Her tongue came out to meet his before gliding into his mouth. She pulled her body flush against his for a moment, then relaxed as her hands found his shoulders and held on, tugging at the tense muscles underneath his skin.

 

With a groan, Ulquiorra's hand slipped under the sweater. Throughout the night, he managed several times to touch her bare skin, but her skin had been cool. Now it was hot. Pale fingers ghosted up her sides until he got to her impressive chest. He wanted to taste and touch her as much as possible. He broke the kiss only for a moment before he undid the fastenings of her bra under the sweater. "Take it off," he murmured before kissing her again.

 

She did not hesitate. She broke their kiss and, much like their first morning together, straightened up and pulled her shirt up over her head and tossed it to the side. She shrugged out of bra straps and let the cups fall away on their own, then paused a moment before diving back in toward their kiss, pecking at his lips and licking his tongue in turns. She finally managed to pause long enough to breathe the words, "Thank you, for the book," then pressed her bare breasts into the front of his shirt in another tight embrace.

 

Cupping her soft flesh, Ulquiorra didn't hesitate in giving her what she wanted. Each touch he returned. Each kiss he punctuated with a nibble to her jaw or sucking on her bottom lip gently. His desire for her was on autopilot. He wasn't going to stop this time. He needed her. His mouth finally traveled down her throat, latching onto the side. He left a love bite that would most likely be prominent tomorrow.

 

Ulquiorra groaned as he lifted her tits to his mouth, sucking the skin there too. His fingers caressed her, varying the gentleness of their touch.

 

Orihime purred. Every move that he made seemed deliberate. Every inch of skin that he touched turned pink and alive, vibrating and sending pulses of pleasure toward her core. She had been ready for him for months. She knew that tonight was different; this was going to happen. The thought emboldened her, and she pulled his t-shirt up over his head. She sighed as her bare skin covered his, and she slid down his front a bit to settle her hips over his, then rocked them. A gasp escaped her lips as she felt him rub against her through the layers of clothing they wore. She tried it again, this time bringing her lips to his neck, trailing her tongue out to taste the line of the muscle there, and kissing his Adam's apple, before bringing her lips back up to his.

 

Ulquiorra growled when his woman teased him as she did. He let his hands trail up her back to her neck, tickling the skin there with his fingertips before he tangled his fingers in the long locks at the base of her skull. He pulled her in tighter, meshing her mouth with his. It was as if he'd never experienced hunger or thirst before. It was an overwhelming sensation overriding his senses as they rocked against each other.

 

He knew though this wasn't how he wanted to end the night. The dark-haired man didn't want to rut against this woman with clothing between them and he wouldn't. He would make sure of that. "Woman," he murmured against her lips. He wasn't really talking to her; he just needed to reassure himself that she was there in his arms.

 

Her skin against his hands felt molten, and he wanted to feel more of it under his hands.

 

The rumble she felt from his chest when he spoke sent trembling waves of desire into her blood. She could feel her body tense and relax, preparing for him. She was having a hard time thinking of anything at all, focused much more on sensation. She pushed him by the shoulders back onto the bed. He fell and looked up at her with unguarded eyes. She looked down at him, and a tiny smile played on her lips as she mouthed, "I love you," before sinking her body down to lie on top of him.

 

Just looking at her on top of him… It was making his brain shut down because it seemed like every drop of blood was pooling around his hips. "I love you, Orihime," Ulquiorra voiced. He hummed as her hips rolled against him, the sound thrumming through his body. His hands came up to her nipples, pinching them before brushing his thumbs over them. "Baby, are you sure you want to do this?"

 

Damn his brain, and the need to recheck everything. If Orihime didn't want this, she wouldn't be doing it. Ulquiorra just needed to hear her say it.

 

She brought her face to his neck, kissing her way up to his ear, before whispering, "I want you, Ulquiorra Cifer. Make me yours."

 

He didn't waste any time, rolling them over, so she was on her back with her hair splayed out over the blankets. Ulquiorra shifted their bodies, making it more comfortable for him between her thighs. His hands were trembling as he brought them down to the button of her jeans. It took a quick flick of his fingers to undo them then pull that jagged strip of metal apart with the zipper pull. He slowly peeled her jeans off her body, first one leg and then the other.

 

Throwing the jeans somewhere behind him, Ulquiorra let his eyes roam over the woman. He was fucking lucky.

 

Orihime was completely useless for any task that did not include worshiping the man before her at the moment. She watched with hungry eyes as he looked her body over in apparent approval. Her insides ached for his touch, but he was still much too clothed. She brought her small hands to his waistband and repeated his actions from only a moment prior. When she had his fly open, she slowly inched his jeans down his narrow hips, pausing to slip her fingers under the hem of his boxers when she reached them and then continued until both layers were pulled down to nearly his knees. Because he knelt, this was where her efforts necessarily ended, Then she looked. The real thing was much more impressive than the picture he had texted her weeks ago. She reached for the pale, rigid object pointed directly at her. When her hand made contact, she gasped. It was hotter than she had anticipated and smooth as glass. She watched, fascinated, as it bobbed at her touch, and then her hand encircled it. Almost.

 

He had to bite his bottom lip, letting his teeth drag over that sensitive skin. In the back of his mind, he always had the idea that Orihime would have never been so brazen to touch him like this. Ulquiorra had to try hard to swallow because his mouth had gone dry watching her tentatively stroke her fingers over the length of his cock. Fuck, he thought. His gaze darkened and he glanced at her.

 

She seemed so enamored with his body. Although he had seen her naked many times, he always wore clothing around her. It saved him the hassle of having to fight himself on whether or not to give into her body.

 

Tonight there was no talking him out of this.

 

He leaned forward, bracing his weight on his arms and kissed her deeply. "Everything you expected?" he asked as he drew away from her.

 

She shook her head a second, his question pulling her out of the hypnotic daze she had fallen under, then found his burning eyes. "Much more," she replied, then she looked down and cleared her throat. " _Much_ more." Her eyes found his again, this time with a slight nervousness visible.

 

He let a slight smile play on his lips. Without applying any pressure, he took Orihime's wrist and removed her hand from his length. "Let me take the rest of my clothes off," he said before standing up. It did not take much for him to shove the rest of his clothing into the floor. He stood in the fabric puddle before returning to the bed and her. The only thing guarding Orihime from him were those panties she still had on.

 

She whimpered when she saw him stand there in all his glory. She had previously thought of him as a god of sex. Now her suspicions were confirmed. His body was perfect. Every line, every twist of sinew and the sharp angle of bone looked like the hands of masters carved it. She could barely contain her heart from pounding out of her chest, her breasts rising and falling in increasing excitement. When she was finally able to pull her eyes away from his body and drag them to his stunning green irises, she called to him in a soft, pleading voice, "Come to me, love."

 

His fingers grabbed the sides of her underwear, and he yanked them down, too impatient to take care with them. Then she was bare beneath him. Ulquiorra couldn't believe his eyes. She was just as stunning as the first day he saw her completely naked. "Beautiful," he professed.

 

The soft lines of her body against the sheets drew his attention from her face all the way down to her toes. He used a hand to lift her face up to him, kissing Orihime. She was heaven; like a fine, complex wine.

 

Ulquiorra could tell how much she needed him in return. His cock nudged against her nether lips. Liquid heat. He could not resist rocking his hips against her. Just for her to feel it. He moaned at the contact when the head parted her folds.

 

She cried out from that first taste of him against her, and even though he had not yet entered her passage, she felt like she could see heaven. Just the small connection; this tenuous contact was enough to cause her walls to flutter in anticipation.

 

That warmth. The drenched skin. He was trying his best not to end this soon. He had to focus. So he watched her as he tenderly moved against her. Ulq knew that she wasn't a virgin, but she'd never been fucked the way he was going to fuck her; no, he was going to do much more than that. He used his free hand to line himself up against her. It wouldn't take much; maybe he would hold out on her more and make her beg for it.

 

He didn't have to wait long. She looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, and whispered, "Ulquiorra, please…."

 

With one smooth motion, he drove into her, burying himself until his abdomen touched her body. Pleasure seeped along his muscles and spine; the longing and yearning were dissipating as he pulled out of her a moment later. It was just enough for him to push back instead. His eyes went wide as he gazed down at the woman. "O..."

 

When he entered her, her life as Orihime Inoue, a lonely orphan, victim, and friend, ended. All of it was over. When she opened her eyes, she looked at him as O, Ulquiorra Cifer's lover. She took a sharp breath but was otherwise silent, as the significance of this moment fell heavily upon her. She was being reborn.

 

The movement of him inside of her brought pleasure that ripped through her with burning intensity, and as he pulled slowly away, her legs acted on their own accord to push him back into her, wrapping tightly behind him. It was all she could do to hold on.

 

His pace was slow. Ulquiorra made sure that she felt every inch of him as he moved his body. As he supported himself on his elbows, Ulquiorra let his fingers drift over her face, sweeping his thumb over her bottom lip. "Orihime," he said in a ragged voice. Ulquiorra had to wonder if she had this feeling of being on another plane of existence; if she was being shattered by them coming together like this.

 

He brought his head down kissing a path on her body from her face to her chest and back again, trying to distract himself from what he was feeling. Emotions were flooding his senses which went along with the physical touch he was going through. No one had ever felt this good sliding against him.

 

Orihime's chest constricted. She was completely overwhelmed by him. He filled her completely, and when he retreated it felt like the world would end until he pushed back into her. Every stroke, every slow, deliberate thrust, was bringing her closer to oblivion. She could feel it building in her already.

 

She couldn't hold it in anymore. She cried out. A sharp, "Ah" rang through their bedroom, followed by a hiss, and another "ah." The vocalizations began to form a pattern in time with his thrusts, pausing only so that she could sink her fingers into his hair and kiss his mouth, professing her love to him into that dark recess.

 

That's what he wanted to hear. This was his prize, hearing how much she was enjoying this. Ginjo could go eat a dick. He'd done what the man couldn't or would not do. Ulquiorra's hips snapped into her with more force, diving into her body. The sensation of wire being pulled tight was what his nerves were conveying to him. He'd wanted her for too long and denied himself for too long. His caresses became impatient.

 

He wanted Orihime.

 

His breathing became ragged, and he tried to straighten up, but she held on as her life depended on him; as if she'd unravel if she weren't clinging to him. "Orihime," he said.

 

She moaned. A long, drawn-out, pained "Ulquiorra," answered him, and her walls started to tighten. She gripped his shoulder, her nails pressing, leaving small crescent indents. Her breathing became shallower.

 

He rolled his hips, joining her with a moan of his own. The tingling sensation that started in his back that he always associated with his orgasm was building quickly as his pace increased. This was going to be something that would devastate him. It would change everything they had. The moment he entered her, Ulquiorra altered their lives. He was totally expecting the numbing euphoria that began in a wave over his body. He pressed his face into her neck, coming inside her.

 

Her walls milked every last drop from him as she came with him, choked cries spilled from her lips as the sensation exploded throughout her body, her entire being pulsing in time with her core. She was shattered. When she felt him stop, she slowly relaxed her grip on him and lazily stroked his hair, his face still buried in her neck. Her legs kept him buried within her even as he began to soften. She did not want this moment to end.

 

It took several long moments for his breathing to return to normal. Ulquiorra shivered as he pulled completely out of Orihime. He lay down beside her, holding her. His flushed mouth found her shoulder, and he left a kiss there, waiting for something to happen. There had to be repercussions to what they just did. "O?"

 

She rolled to her side to face him, her eyes lazily finding his and a blissful smile blossoming on her lips. She dipped her head into his chest, smelling him, recording his hot, exerted scent, and then kissed him there. Then she sighed. "Yes?" she asked, her voice but a breath.

 

Everything must have been alright if she was smiling and kissing him. "I was just making sure you were okay. I didn't hurt you or..."

 

She hummed a little laugh. "No, I'm not okay. I'm ruined for life now, thank you," she pulled her face up and kissed him again, her passion not at all dampened by the strain of their activities. She knew he was being sincere though and stopped after a few moments. "Ulquiorra?"

 

"Hmmm?" he murmured, brushing her red hair away from her face. He looked into Orihime's dark eyes and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Yes?"

 

"Will you-" she stopped. She shook her head. "I love you."

 

That little action made him smile, but he wasn't going to let it go. Orihime had turned him into a curious person. "I love you too. Will I what?"

 

Her face flushed. She couldn't believe what she almost said. I wouldn't be right. It would be too soon. She didn't want him to run from her again.

 

"Will you promise me you'll still be here in the morning?' She buried her face in his shoulder. She didn't want him to see the stray tears that escaped her lashes.

 

The question hit him like a punch to the face. Considering what he knew of Orihime's past romantic experiences, they weren't that great, and Ginjo was the world's biggest twat for treating her the way he did. "Baby; Orihime; O, I'm not going to let you go," he whispered to her. "Never in a million years would I leave you."

 

She squeezed her body against his and shivered. She could feel his seed starting to seep out of her, but she didn't care. She wanted to stay with him like this forever.

 

He rolled onto his back, taking her with him, so her head was on his chest. Ulquiorra stroked her back, carving his fingers through the tangles that knotted her hair. "You know how you added those extra verses to The Owl And The Pussycat?"

 

"Mmhmm," she nodded her head on his chest.

 

Ulquiorra was never really creative. He'd been horrible at artistic pursuits during his life. He was more logic based; left-brained. He tilted her face up to stare at her with honest viridian green eyes. "He didn't mean to fall in love. They were words on a page. A trivial idea. But it happened. With the pussycat's heart, the bat flew away."

 

Her eyes widened, and her lips curled up in an enamored expression. "You wrote that?"

 

He shook his head. "I mean, yeah, I just thought of it. Stupid, I know."

 

She shook her head. "No, not stupid." She kissed his chin. "Not stupid at all." She kissed his mouth. "Very much the opposite of stupid," she kissed his jaw. She pushed up on her elbows to look down at him, her breasts barely touching his chest, and smiled.

 

"Jesus, don't you people know how to close a damn door?" a very disturbed yell came from Ichigo, standing in the doorway.

 

Chad had to make it worse. He was looking over Ichigo's shoulder and gave her a thumbs up. "Nice tits, Inoue."

 

If anyone in the building was listening to the screams that were coming from their apartment, it sounded like someone was being murdered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mattaku...baka= Good grief, what an idiot.


	23. Doppleganger

The snow festival came and went with Ulquiorra pouting because according to Orihime, he wasn't allowed to kill Chad. The big man explained that her chest had always been out there, but this was the first time in their friendship they'd ever seen Orihime naked. Swimsuits didn't count. Orihime took the blame for the whole thing saying she should have closed the door.

 

It wasn't her fault though. This was their home. Kurosaki and Chad were guests, shouldn't they be the ones to give their host consideration and fuck off? The men could have gone into the guest room instead of watching the lovers bask in a post-orgasm glow. He didn't like how Kurosaki's eyes studied Orihime's body or the way that Chad had also looked at her like she was something delicious.

 

If anyone would be consuming her, it would be Ulquiorra!

 

He continued to be mad about this days later. He'd already made arrangements with Urahara to have Tessai deliver another package to Orihime while she was at work. It had the flowers, the chocolates, and a necklace. He'd prove to her he meant what he said. He wanted to give her the world on a silver platter.

 

Hopefully, she would enjoy it. Ulquiorra knew that his customs were different from hers. He was going to celebrate Valentine's day on the fourteenth and not weeks later. Japanese holidays could go screw themselves too.

 

He was walking at night after his tutoring sessions were over on the thirteenth, mulling over things when he heard footsteps behind him. Ulquiorra paused then turned to see Ginjo standing there with his hands in his pockets. "Cifer," the greasy haired man said with a sadistic smile on his face. "How've ya been?"

 

Ulquiorra stared at the other male with a cold expression. It was just then that it dawned on him. He'd been speaking to Ginjo in English. Not a word of Japanese had ever been exchanged between them. Could the man hear what had been said between him and Orihime while they lived next door to him? "What do you want?"

 

"C'mon Cifer, that's no way to treat your friends, now is it?"

 

He narrowed his eyes, looking at Ginjo as if he was something distasteful. "I don't have any friends, thank you very much."

 

"Where's Orihime?"

 

"How should I know?"

 

Ginjo gave a cold chuckle that sent Ulquiorra's stomach roiling with unease. "A little kitten tells me you're living with her."

 

"It is none of your concern. Maybe if you had not cheated on her or pushed her away, she would have come back to you." Ulquiorra was becoming angry. By Ginjo's tone, it sounded like Orihime was being threatened.

 

"Maybe not. See ya around Cifer."

 

Ulquiorra watched as the man faded into the darkness the further away he retreated. What would stop Ginjo from following him? Eyes darted around, trying to gauge where the bastard could or would have gone.

 

Why was he so hung up on Orihime? The guy had pushed her out of his life and threatened to burn her belongings. Ulquiorra had...Shit… he capitalized on another man's misfortune. How did that saying go?

 

One man's trash was another person's treasure?

 

Orihime wasn't trash. If anyone could be considered trash, it'd be that greasy headed dick. Maybe he was being paranoid… This wasn't a big deal… Ginjo sounded serious though. He quickly pulled out his phone and pushed Orihime's number, letting it ring.

 

_Ring_

 

"Hello?" She sounded frantic.

 

"O? Where are you?"

 

"I'm at home, but I thought I heard you coming in awhile ago. I went out to check, and you weren't there, and I was starting to worry."

 

He sighed. Ulquiorra took a look around again before he started walking. "I'm going to Urahara's. I ran into your ex while coming home from my last tutoring session."

 

Orihime didn't say anything, but her breathing became somewhat heavy on the other end of the line. After a long moment, she spoke in a serious voice, "Be careful… someone was here."

 

"I'll text you when I get there and have either him or Tessai come to check on you," he replied. "Will you be okay?"

 

"Wait, are you saying you're not coming home tonight?" He could hear her shuffling something around and then his phone buzzed in his ear. She had sent a picture.

 

It was a standard white piece of paper. The same he used time and time again to send her notes. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the image.

 

_"O"-_

 

_All good things come to an end. Luckily we can always pick up where we left off. Be careful on the road, Princess._

 

"I did not write that. I would never call you _princess_."

 

"I know."

 

"Is that Ginjo's handwriting? Could we take it to the police?"

 

"Maybe, but I don't have anything to compare it to; I doubt they'll just take my word for it."

 

This was the one thing he hated about this damn country. The police didn't seem like they gave a damn unless you had money to line their damn pockets with. "Okay, stay in the apartment, and Tessai will be coming to get you. Do not leave. I'm almost at the bookstore."

 

"I will. _Be careful_."

 

He hung up the call and made his steps faster towards the building. The bookstore's sign was light, and he could see people inside. It was only a few moments later when he burst through the door. "Where is Urahara? And Tessai?"

 

"Who are you?" a woman with dark purplish-black hair asked. She was sitting on a stool behind the counter.

 

"I'm a client of his. Ulquiorra Cifer. I need his help."

 

The woman appeared to study him for a moment then clicked her fingers. The redheaded teen showed up from behind one of the shelves. "What do you want Yoruichi?"

 

"Go get Kisuke."

 

"And Tessai," Ulquiorra added.

 

The kid didn't say another word and disappeared through a doorway. It seemed like an eternity before the two men returned. "Cifer?"

 

"I need one of you to go get Orihime from our apartment. Ginjo left her a note, trying to pose as me. He called her O! He threatened her tonight." Ulquiorra was frustrated, so it made it hard to explain the situation concisely.

 

"Why is this our problem?" The woman asked.

 

"Yoruichi, this is our famous U.C.. His girlfriend is O," Urahara said.

 

"Oh, I thought he'd be taller for being German."

 

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes at that comment. He did feel like this was a joking matter! "Please," he begged. "Someone needs to go get her. She's scared."

 

Urahara glanced at Tessai before the burly man was gone. "Go sit down Cifer. Tessai will make sure she gets here safely."

 

 

***

 

Orihime sat in Ulquiorra's chair from his old apartment, her right leg fidgeting below her as she reread Ginjo's letter. She leaned into one of the arms, trying to decide what to do. Then the memory of the night she got kicked out of Ginjo's apartment surfaced.

 

_I'm an idiot._

 

She sprung to her feet and ran to her and Ulquiorra's bedroom. Pulling a duffel bag out of the closet, she just grabbed essentials- his passport and documents, phone chargers, her bank book, a picture of her brother, a few days worth of clothes and _Nonsense Songs._ She had previously tucked all their correspondence inside. She also grabbed the gift she had purchased at the snow lantern festival but had yet to give him.

 

By the time she had the bag full, there was a sharp rap at the door.

 

She jumped and squeaked.

 

"Inoue-dono" the precise voice on the other side of the barrier announced, "Tessai from Urahara Honya. I have been sent to collect you."

 

Her shoulders sunk, but she remembered Ulquiorra had promised to text her when he arrived at the bookstore. She crept up to the door and looked through the peephole as she sent Ulquiorra a message confirming he arrived.

 

She quickly received affirmation.

 

She opened the door, and Tessai stepped aside. "Good girl," he said, eyeing the bag in her hand. He produced a trench coat many sizes too large for her and after she exited the apartment and locked the door, he wrapped the coat around her shoulders, pulling a hood up and over her head. "Keep your head down," was all he said before guiding her out to the shop truck.

 

When they arrived at the honya, Tessai pulled into the small gravel parking area around the back of the store and led Orihime through a door in the back. At first, it looked like a regular residence, but as Orihime passed one tatami room after the next, she recognized that these rooms were not furnished as living quarters.

 

Ulquiorra sat in that deep teal velvet-covered chair, waiting. He picked at non-existent lint on his pants or inspected his nails. Nothing was amiss, and nothing was out of place. He was just nervous as he waited, bouncing his leg up and down. He could see Urahara and that woman staring at him.

 

What were they waiting for? Glaring at the duo, he shifted his attention away from them. Then what he had always assumed was a door to a storeroom, opened. Tessai came through followed by a figure wrapped tightly in some kind of covering. Instantly he was on his feet. "Orihime?" Ulquiorra said.

 

She clawed her way out of the coat and fell toward him, catching herself on his outstretched forearms, then wobbled upright. "I made it!" she said in a hushed voice, grinning at him. She appeared happier than she should be, given the circumstances.

 

Relief made him want to collapse. She wasn't hurt or appeared harmed. She was smiling, so that was a good thing. It had to be a good thing. "I see," he replied in an equally quiet voice. It had a frantic undertone though. "Did you bring the letter?" he asked.

 

She nodded and twisted to reach into her tote bag that she had brought in addition to the duffel, and pulled out the offending document, passing it to Ulquiorra.

 

He scanned the letter. That wasn't his handwriting. Ginjo's form was big angry letters. It was written in English, probably so both of them could read it. Ulquiorra frowned and waved the paper at Urahara.

 

"Miss Inoue, how nice to see your face inside my humble shop!" the blond shopkeeper said as he walked towards the couple. "This is Yoruichi Shihion; she's with Special Investigations Team."

 

"What does that mean?" Ulquiorra asked.

 

"It means I'm with the cops, to put it in terms you'd understand."

 

"Ah, Yoruichi, he's German, not American, like we assumed," Urahara corrected her.

 

Ulquiorra shook his head. These people were ridiculous. "Okay, why is she here?"

 

"Does the name Tetsuzaemon Iba sound familiar?"

 

"Should it?" the green-eyed man asked.

 

"Orihime?" Yoruichi asked, turning towards the redhead. "How about you?"

 

She tilted her head in thought, quietly remembering the time she was with Ginjo and the people he used to talk about. Her eyebrows drew close together, and her forehead wrinkled as she recalled not things he spoke of with her, but phone calls he made in the other room. "Iba… Yes. Sometimes when he'd be on the phone that name would come up."

 

Yoruichi looked first at Ulquiorra and then at Orihime. "Kugo Ginjo, works for Iba Tetsuzaemon, part-time realty owner, part-time gangster. He has this whole legitimate side of his business which keeps his hands clean of any wrongdoing. Ginjo worked for his construction business, didn't he?"

 

"Yes," Orihime answered, confusion evident. "But he really did work construction. I mean, I'd see him at sites sometimes, and he even had to work on roads up in Aomori and Iwate sometimes…" she trailed off, the thought that she may have been deceived dawning on her.

 

The woman chuckled. "Yeah, Tetsu-san sends his men out to do manual labor when they're being punished. Did Ginjo ever tell you about a gambling debt?"

 

"What?" She swallowed hard. "What gambling debt?"

 

The older woman shook her head, clearly surprised that this woman did not know what her former lover had been doing behind her back. Kids these days were stupid. "It's obvious that you don't know about it," Yoruichi said.

 

"What gambling debt?" Ulquiorra asked, grabbing her arm before she could walk away.

 

"Cifer, I would..." Urahara cautioned him.

 

"Unless you want your ass kicked, I suggest you don't touch me." The purple haired woman grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm until Ulquiorra was practically pulled backward.

 

"Ow! You bitch. I just wanted to know what you meant!" Ulquiorra could feel his arm screaming for the pain to stop. Who did this woman think she was?

 

It was over just like that. Yoruichi let him go then stepped back. "Ginjo works for Tetsu-san. He owes his boss a lot of money for his debt."

 

"How much money?"

 

"Renji wasn't able to find out much," Urahara said.

 

"Nine million yen."

 

Orihime's hand flew to her forehead, and her eyes widened in disbelief. How much gambling could he have done? Did he _ever_ work? Did he come home smelling like sweat and asphalt because he rolled around in it? She shook her head. Nine million yen. That was more than what she made in three years. A good lot more.

 

The dark-haired man cursed, rubbing his shoulder, but he moved closer to the redhead. "Why does Ginjo want-"

 

"Think about this Cifer… How much are you worth?"

 

"I beg your pardon?" What did it matter how much he was worth? What did that have to do with Ginjo wanting Orihime back? "That has nothing to do with why that psychopath wants my girlfriend!"

 

"It has everything to do with your girlfriend. How much are you willing to give for her?" Urahara stated.

 

Ulquiorra scoffed. There wasn't a price he could pay or give for Orihime. How did one put a price on love? "Why are you talking in riddles?"

 

Yoruichi sighed. "I'm going to bed. It's been a long day. I've been around assholes, and I've had it up to here with your-"

 

"It's fine Yoruichi, go ahead and sleep. I'll settle our guests in one of the back rooms," Urahara said.

 

  
***

 

"These futons are thin," Ulquiorra murmured in the darkness. He didn't know if Orihime was asleep or not. The shopkeeper ushered them into the smallest room where two (probably) second hand and lumpy futons lay. The door shut, and the lights went out. He had sat on his for a while before trying to sleep.

 

This wasn't his bed, and this wasn't his home. "O?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"Are you okay? You haven't said much," Ulquiorra replied. He turned towards her and reached his hand out.

 

"Mmm, it's a lot to take in," she found his hand and threaded her fingers through his. "I'm here with you though, so I'm fine," she said. She sounded tired. No, she sounded weary. "I'm just sick to death of Ginjo and his lies. I thought we had gotten away from all of that, you know?"

 

"I know. I hoped for the same thing."

 

"Babe?"

 

"Hmmm?"

 

"Don't worry. I'll be careful. I have a little money saved up; we can just leave here and go to Karakura or something. Maybe move down and keep your new BFFs company in Kyushu?" She giggled. Then she sighed.

 

He turned his head toward her, his eyes picking out her features in the dark. She was looking right at him. Ulquiorra also sighed, feeling a heaviness in his chest. All he wanted to do is be at home with her. He didn't want to be here in some dusty bookstore that sold items at inflated prices. "We could go to Germany," he said quietly after sitting up again. "We can go anywhere you want, Orihime."

 

"Hmm, Germany, huh? I've never been abroad. What kind of visa requirements do they have? I could go as a tourist, but what then? We'll have to figure something out…"

 

"That's true but," Ulquiorra bit his lip. "You could become my wife. They'd have to let you stay then."

 

She gasped. She couldn't say anything because after that gasp she couldn't breathe.

 

"O? Orihime? "

 

She exhaled quickly and drew in a slower, shakier breath. "Do you mean that?"

 

It didn't take much for him to find her in the dark. Ulquiorra didn't waste any more time. He had to be next to her. He didn't want her to get freaked out and start hyperventilating again. "Hey, it's okay. I do mean it but, it just one option. If you don't want to go to Germany and live there, that's fine. If you want to go to wherever your pervert friends are, that's fine."

 

He was missing the point completely. She asked again, this time very slowly. "Ulquiorra, do you _really_ mean that? Because if you don't mean it, please don't say it."

 

Did she think he was being insincere? Hadn't he told her that-He sighed in frustration. "Orihime do you not remember our conversation the night of the Snow Lantern Festival? Aside from the yelling, nakedness, and sex, do you not remember what I told you? I said I wanted to make that happen. I want you to become Orihime Cifer."

 

She vaguely remembered, but the way he worded things made her doubt her memories. The way he said it made it feel like a side thought, not the very important point that it was. It confused her; did he mean someday he might consider it or was he actually asking her to marry him? She sighed. It was no more evident to her now than before. It didn't matter, she thought. "Well, let me know when you decide you want to make that happen, ok? In the meantime, I will follow you." She was going to say more, but she was feeling a little insecure and didn't want to make a bold declaration only to be shot down, so she held back.

 

Ulquiorra didn't like how she said that. Without warning, he was on top of her, looking down into her face. It was hard to make out her expression with the minimal lighting that they had. She looked miserable. She looked frightened. Damn Ginjo for doing this to her! He found her mouth with his and kissed her slowly. "You don't sound like you believe me, Woman."

 

She was sad. She didn't like to see him troubled like this, and she didn't like to be the cause of it. "Ulquiorra, you sometimes say things in such a way that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. It's almost like you are Japanese," she paused to smile a little. "But for something like _this_ , I won't believe it until you say it to me straight."

 

How much clearer did she want him to ask her? He asked her when they lived at the other apartment. He asked her several times… Would he need to prove it more with a huge declaration of love that cemented his feelings for her? "O," he said in a calm voice which was the exact opposite of how his brain was reacting. "You know I love you. I've always said things that way to give you an out if you so choose to take it. I don't want to force you to do anything."

 

"Short of tying me down and manipulating my body, there is no way for you to force me to do anything," she countered, not caring much for his rationale.

 

His mouth went dry, but he knew this wasn't the time for inappropriate thoughts. This was a serious discussion that they obviously needed to have. Ulquiorra sighed and stood, walking back over to his futon. "So you want me to get down on one knee and propose? I don't know how this kind of thing works here."

 

"I don't want to tell you what to do, Ulquiorra. Do what makes you happy. We've had a very stressful day, and I think it's getting the better of us right now. Maybe it would be better just to call it a night."

 

"I don't want to be here," he said. Before she could even interject with a thought, Ulquiorra continued. "I don't want to be here, in this building. I want to be at home with you. I hate that Ginjo is doing this to you."

 

There he was, she thought. That was his truth at that moment. She wasn't pleased that he was unhappy, but his candor moved her. She stood and made her way to his futon. "Can I squeeze in?"

 

She didn't have to ask, Ulquiorra reached out for her, pulling her down next to him. "Woman, you never have to ask to sleep or lay beside me. The answer will always be yes."

 

She nuzzled his collarbone and closed her eyes. They could figure out the marriage thing later.

 

***

 

Orihime awoke the next morning to an otherwise empty futon. She rolled over onto her back and stretched, hearing her vertebrae crack and her muscles protest as she tried to work away the kinks caused by the uncomfortable accommodations. She picked up her phone to check the time. She saw the date.

 

Shit.

 

It was Valentine's day. She had wanted to make him chocolates. That wasn't happening. Still, she had the monkeys she bought at the Snow Lantern Festival. They would have to do.

 

She went to her bag and removed the small package and set it on the floor beside her, and waited.

 

He'd been fighting with Urahara. This whole thing was bullshit but understandable. Urahara had told him to give the situation a couple of days before returning to normal life. That's not what Ulquiorra wanted to hear. He wanted to talk to that cop or whatever she was and get some answers.

 

After the squabbling ceased, Ulquiorra demanded that the blond handover the gifts he paid the man to deliver. "Where're the flowers?" he asked.

 

"Cifer." Urahara sounded weary. "I have to go get them. They arrived this morning from the florist. Jinta!"

 

The red-headed kid appeared with a glass vase which held a beautiful arrangement of flowers. He knew nothing about flowers except men got women they loved or were in lust with red roses. Ulquiorra didn't think red roses fit Orihime. Maybe Sterling roses or blush ones but never red. Maybe one day he'd buy her some but not today.

 

He took the four packages and the vase with him to their makeshift room and opened the door. She was awake. He didn't expect her to be awake. "Morning," he said as he shuffled into the room.

 

"What's all this?" She asked, watching him back into the room with his arms full, pulling the sliding door shut with his shoulder. It was an awkward accomplishment. "Can I help you with anything?"

 

"No, just stay right there," Ulquiorra said. He carefully knelt down and placed everything onto the floor. "Today in my country it's Valentine's day. I know that your customs here are different. These are for you." He handed her the first gift which was rectangular in shape.

 

"Ulquiorra, I didn't expect anything, I was supposed to make something for you…now that is not happening but I _do_ have something for you too, I meant to give it to you the night we, um… well, I got a little distracted." She smiled sheepishly before picking up the small package by her side and passing it to him. "Happy Valentine's Day," She said, turning her attention to the package she gave to him and picking it up. "Do you want to go at the same time, or…." She trailed off, not knowing what was customary in Germany and not wanting to disappoint him somehow after he clearly went through so much effort.

 

He smiled when she gave him the gift. "Go ahead," Ulquiorra replied. He wanted to watch her reaction.

 

She lifted the package off of her lap and opened the wrapping. She saw the black leather, and her breath hitched. Had he bought both books for her? They must have cost a fortune! She looked up from the book to his waiting emerald eyes. She hugged the Poe Anthology to her chest and then was on her knees, making her way toward him. She set the book down carefully and kissed his mouth, firm, with two bonus pecks at the end. "Thank you," She said then, and found his eyes again, blinking away tears. She picked up the book again and stroked the spine lovingly, "This is kind of embarrassing, but before we met in real life, I would borrow this book and hold onto it just to feel close to U. C. It was silly then, but it doesn't feel so silly now."

 

"I tried reading a volume of Robert Frost's poems but," Ulquiorra paused for a moment feeling his face get hot. "The words had no connection to O."

 

Before he could become even sappier, he handed her the next gift. This one made him nervous because, with the help of a fashion savvy aunt on his father's side, he had ordered these from France.

 

She opened the package to see a red cardboard box inside. She lifted the cover and saw lace. Lots of it. Very fine, very delicate, very soft, and _very beautiful._ "Ulquiorra," she whisper, her cheeks coloring, "are these for you or for me?" She giggled awkwardly, then admitted, "these are beautiful, thank you."

 

Ulquiorra cleared his throat and smiled. He felt uncomfortable as he passed her the last two boxes. One was in the shape of a heart, filled with chocolates and the other held a necklace. Maybe his gifts were too much, he thought. "Open the big one first."

 

"I think I can guess what this is," she said grinning and opening the heart-shaped box. She took one out. " _Tabete ii_?"

 

He raised an eyebrow and looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Um," he murmured. It was obvious she wanted to try one. Ulquiorra frowned. "I'm not good at Japanese, Orihime. If you want one, go ahead. They're yours."

 

"That's what I asked. We haven't had breakfast yet, and I am starving. Do you want one?" She asked as she put one in her mouth, then closed her mind and moaned obscenely.

 

Ulquiorra had to look away when she did that, otherwise, he was going to pin her to that borrowed futon and fuck her senseless right there. He'd pick up the chocolate box then put it to the side, push her onto her back, shoving her clothes up and down enough for him to slide inside of Orihime. The very idea made him shiver slightly. "No, thank you. I'm okay," he said in a monotone voice. He bit his lip as he looked back at her. "I bought them for you."

 

She hummed in appreciation once more. Then her eyes fell on the final package. "Best for last?" She asked with an impish grin, tearing the paper open. She paused when she saw the name on the box and raised a brow at Ulquiorra. He didn't see, so she opened the box to reveal a stunning Cartier diamond necklace. She was speechless.

 

He sighed. Maybe he had gone overboard wanting to show this woman how generous he was and how much she deserved. "Do you not like it?" Ulquiorra asked with a worried expression. He set the gift she gave him to the side and moved closer to her. "Orihime?"

 

"I love it," she whimpered. She kissed his lips once. "I'm sorry this is nothing…" she said as she passed her gift to him. She was not sad or disappointed, only humble.

 

He accepted it. Ulquiorra looked down at the gift and then at Orihime. "O, this is everything," he said before kissing her. His hands cupped her face, pulling her closer. Then he backed away so that he could actually look at her. His fingers plucked at the gift, and soon he was looking at three monkeys. They were funny to look at. He knew what the symbolism meant. One had his hands over his eyes. Another with their hands over their ears. The last with its hands over its mouth. He looked up at Orihime. "Monkeys?" Ulquiorra asked.

 

"You were born in the year of the monkey, according to the Chinese zodiac," she said with a tiny smile.

 

He put the three monkeys to the side and pulled Orihime to him. "That is the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me," Ulquiorra said. He kissed her, pressing his lips against hers urgently. His words were sincere. Nel had always given him generic gifts or things she wanted him to wear or the like. "My gifts-They're silly. I don't even know if you like lingerie or jewelry. I don't even know if you like chocolate."

 

"I love them. They're from you. They are anything but silly. Thank you." She stopped and looked down at the necklace. "This is the first time I have ever received jewelry," she murmured, blushing in embarrassment.

 

"May I help you put it on?" He asked before taking the jewelry box from her. He wanted to see her with the necklace on.

 

Carefully, Ulquiorra took the necklace from the container and released one side of the necklace from the clasp. He put the rose gold metal chain around her neck and refastened it. He looked Orihime in the eyes. "I want to make love to you, Orihime."

 

She agreed. 


	24. Gone, Baby, Gone

Two weeks had passed since the late night exodus to Urahara Honya’s backrooms.  They had stayed in that room in the back of the bookshop for four days and three nights before Ulquiorra had put his foot down and demanded that they be allowed to return home.

  


Tonight was a normal Thursday.  Ulquiorra generally worked late with an English Conversation class for working adults.  Orihime usually made dinner and set something aside for him and ate on the couch waiting for him to come home, watching her favorite variety show on television.

  


Ulquiorra was due to arrive home soon, so she went to the kitchen to get things ready, pulling out silverware and a plate, a glass; the usual. She heard him come down the hall, his key jiggling in the lock. She called out, “Hey Babe, welcome back.  I’m just going to pop this in the microwave. If you want to change, I’ll meet you in the living room.”

  


She thought she heard him grunt in acknowledgment.

  


She hummed as she filled a glass of water for him.   That was the last thing she remembered.

  


***

  


All he remembered was hearing Ginjo’s familiar voice and then pain.

  


Before blacking out, he heard, “Cifer, look!”

  


Ulquiorra turned his head slightly and then nothing.

  


He rubbed the back of his head, and when he brought his hand away, he saw it was covered in some kind of dark substance. What was that? Blood?

  


His clothing was wet because he was laying in a dank puddle in a dark alley. He sat up, feeling for anything else that would be injured. Nothing else seemed to be broken. He got to his feet, knees shaking as they fought to support his weight. His stomach revolted to this idea as a wave of nausea hit him full force. It was a horrible one really. He should have just stayed on the ground.

  


If he went home, he knew there would be some ginger tea there to settle things down. Orihime knew how he liked his tea. Ulquiorra searched his pockets for his phone, coming up with nothing. Had he been robbed? His keys were missing too.

  


His vision swam as he tried taking a step. This was probably more serious than he imagined. Did he have a concussion? Was something inside his head broken or cracked? He stumbled several times, running into some crates and tripping over a stray cat. He needed his phone, Ulquiorra thought as he emerged onto a bigger street.

  


He had no clue where he was, and nothing looked familiar. He should ask someone for directions. Ulquiorra sighed as the sick feeling gripped him again. He braced a hand on the nearby building, trying not to vomit.

  


With his limited Japanese vocabulary, it was going to be confusing to ask for direction to the apartment… What could he do?

  


The idea struck him like lightning hitting a metal pole. Urahara. He’d ask for directions to the honya. The locals had to know where that place was in the city. Ulquiorra asked the first person he came across in broken and disjointed Japanese which way was the bookstore. The elderly woman spat before rattling something off and pointing down the street.

  


He’d continue the same way.

  


When the scenery started appearing more commonplace for him, Ulquiorra knew exactly where to go. The building where he taught his classes was nowhere near his old apartment. The small seed of irrational suspicion began to take root. It didn’t take long for the German man to start running towards the bookshop.

  


No, he had no proof that it was Ginjo that mugged him. It wouldn’t do to go in there and ask for Yoruichi so that he could blindly accuse that bastard of wrongdoing. He would just go home. He’d eat and talk with Orihime. Maybe take a shower or a bath with her. They’d fall all over each other and into their bed, a tangle of limbs and heated kisses.

  


Slowly he moved past the business and towards home. As he climbed the stairs, the feeling of dread clawed at his stomach, making it ache. When he saw the open door and the interior of the dark apartment, fear overwhelmed him. Anger flooded his brain. An irate sneer crossed his face.

  


Orihime would NEVER leave the door open.

  


She was more frightened of Ginjo than he was and would never leave herself vulnerable like this.

  


Ulquiorra’s footsteps were cautious as he moved into the apartment, flicking the lights on with the damp sleeve of his wool coat. Wet and muddy boot prints littered the light bamboo flooring. He stepped around those, careful not to leave his own footprints. Once he reached the living room, it felt like his world shattered.

  
He could see into the kitchen from where he stood. Pieces of shiny glass glittered across the kitchen tile and water puddled underneath it. One of their dining chairs had been knocked over. If he swung his head the other way, Ulquiorra could look into the bedroom.

  


Everything in there looked the same, minus the rumpled blankets. Orihime hadn’t made the bed after their morning session of love-making. That was normal. Ulquiorra wasn’t a stickler for things to be immaculate, only tidy.

  


When he turned his attention back to the living room, he finally saw his phone and his keys sitting on the table. The screen was dark for a moment before illuminating. There was a notification stating he had a text message. It was from Orihime.

  


He did not want to read it. He did not want to touch his phone. That was evidence. Ulquiorra had watched enough criminal television shows to know not to touch anything. He had to know though.

  


“Cifer?”

  


Ulquiorra whirled around to see Urahara standing in the doorway. “How did you--”

  


“Honestly, you’re an idiot,” said another voice. The woman with dark skin and purple hair walked into the genkan. Yoruichi stood there with her hands on her hips. “You have blood all over your face. You look like some wild man running through the streets. What happened?”

  


He shook his head. Then walked from the living room into the bathroom. When he looked in the mirror, Ulquiorra was shocked to find there was blood matted in his hair and drying in streaks on his face. “I heard Ginjo’s voice as I was walking home,” he said as he turned his head to the side, assessing the damage. He gingerly touched the spot where the blood was caked and winced.

  
  
“Then?”

  
“Then nothing. I woke up several blocks from my old apartment.”

  


“What happened after that?” Yoruichi asked.

  


Ulquiorra sighed. Why was she asking him questions? There seemed to be other matters at hand that were more important. “I walked to the bookstore. I realized I was being absurd and decided to come back here. When I arrived, the door was open, mud and water all over the floor. There’s broken glass in the kitchen! My phone was here with my keys, just sitting on the table and there’s a text message from Orihime!”

  


By the time he was done with the tirade, he was shouting, fists balled up like he wanted to hit someone. If Ginjo was behind this, he was going to hurt someone. He didn’t know a lot about the Japanese criminal justice system, but it couldn’t be that bad if he went down for murdering someone who would dare hurt his girlfriend.

  


“Calm down, Cifer.”

  


These words came from Urahara. Ulquiorra looked around to find the woman gone. “Where’s--”

  


“She’s making phone calls and collecting evidence.”

  


Oh. That made sense. It didn’t lessen the anger that was building in him.

  


A few moments later, the detective returned and had the phone in her hand. “This is bad,” Yoruichi stated.

  


Ulquiorra had to bite his tongue to restrain himself from saying a smartass remark that would probably end up with him in handcuffs. Could the police arrest you for making sarcastic comments? “What is it?” he asked.

  


“It’s a text message.” The woman turned the phone towards him. It showed a thumbprint image. “Unlock it.”

  


He did as demanded and the woman took the phone back. Standing in the doorway of the bathroom, Ulquiorra watched as her topaz eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. “What?”

  
  
“It’s a text from Orihime and a picture.”

  


***

  


Orihime came to in the back of a delivery van, wedged between cardboard boxes and bound at her hands and feet.  Very little light reached her from the dashboard digital clock. She’s didn’t know where she was or where she was going.

  


She tried to move but found in painful.  Her body was sore. It was painful to breathe.  She attempted to take a deep breath and hacked; there was a chemical taste in her mouth.

  


“Hey sleeping beauty, is that you?  Sorry about the chloroform. Couldn’t have you waking the neighborhood, could I?”

  


Ginjo.

  


“What do you want, Ginjo?  Where are we going?”

  


“Just think of it as a vacation.  I’m going to pull over here quick, and we’re going to take a selfie, like old times.  We can frame it if you want,” he said as if it was just a normal conversation between lovers.  It made her want to vomit as she felt the car turn right and come to a stop. Ginjo got out of the car and around to the sliding side door, opening it and climbing inside beside Orihime.  He took out a phone; her phone.

  


“Smile for Cifer, Princess,” he sneered.  A look of horror appeared on her face right as the camera flashed.

  


After it was done, Ginjo sat with her for a moment, his free hand trailing up and down her leg.  “So, Princess, we’ve got the place to ourselves, now about another round for old times’ sake?”

  


Orihime scoffed and looked away.

  


“We’ll see how much of a stuck up bitch you are when we get to where we’re going,” he snarled, pushing her over hard onto her side and getting out of the car to return to the driver's seat.

  


***

  


Ulquiorra was sitting in a windowless room. Urahara explained things on the way over to his business, while Yoruichi drove.

  


“We’ve been up here for years Cifer,” the blond said.

  
  
“Okay so how do you know--”

  
  
“We’re more than just a bookshop. I mean, Tessai mans the books and stuff. I play the humble shopkeeper and run surveillance. Yoruichi is the official one with the--”

  


“She’s the actual cop, and you’re all moonlighting as some special team? Playing pretend?”

  


Urahara had the nerve to laugh. “If you want to think of it like that. Our investigation into the gang activity up here has been going on for a while. Drugs and other contraband have been trickling into the area.”

  
  
Yoruichi chimed in. “We know who is behind it, but we can’t go after Tetsu-san because he’s technically done nothing wrong. It’s his peons underneath him that cause trouble. Ginjo is one such--”

  
  
“Douche? Shithead? Bastard? Motherfucker? Asshole? Coward? Take your pick, each one describes him,” Ulquiorra said bitterly. “What makes Ginjo so big and bad?”

  


The sigh from the woman seemed to echo loudly. “Extortion, blackmail, kidnapping, assault--”

 

The dark-haired man interrupted her. “Sounds like the greasy fuckhead. Why is this surprising and why did he take my girlfriend?”

  
  
“He has such a colorful vocabulary,” Urahara said, smiling at the woman.

  


“I can hear you.” The disdain was ever so apparent in Ulquiorra’s voice.

  


“The text message said that if you want Orihime back, you would need to pay him,” Yoruichi explained as she pulled up to the bookshop.

  
  
Ulquiorra didn’t hesitate. “How much?”

  


The purple-haired lady cut the engine and turned around to look at Ulquiorra. “Cifer, this is much more than that. He knows about you. He knows about your family. He knows you have money. Our sources tell us that Ginjo has been asking questions about you. He asked the landlord you used to have about your circumstances. He’s even gone to your boss.”

  


“What?”

  


“Ginjo’s been spreading rumors about you just like he did with Orihime,” Urahara replied.

  


“How much does that asshole want?”

  
  
It was Urahara that opened the car door first. “Cifer, do you think this is going to be a one-time thing? If you give him money, he’s going to keep coming back. He’ll keep doing this to you.”

  
  
Ulquiorra gave the shopkeeper a deadly glare. “Are you suggesting that I just leave my girlfriend at his mercy? Are you saying I should just ignore Ginjo? He took my girlfriend!”

 

“You sound like you’re dependant on her,” Yoruichi said before exiting the vehicle. She yanked open the rear door and grabbed Ulquiorra, pulling him out of the car. “Ginjo said he’d contact you in a couple of days.” 


	25. Nine Million

A couple of days seemed like an eternity while staying with Urahara again. It was hard telling what that sadistic psychopath was doing or where he was at. Ulquiorra went to work in a vile mood. He snapped at everyone.

His coworkers whispered behind his back. His young students balked when he spat corrections at them like curses. He was angry; no, this was more than just anger.

To say that he was dependant on Orihime wouldn’t be a lie but it wasn’t the truth either. Since this was the first time he had ever fallen truly in love, Ulquiorra didn’t want to be without her. He didn’t want anyone else to touch her like he did. He was protective of Orihime.

Knowing Ginjo, that prick had done something to her. He just seemed like that type of scoundrel. Tessai had to explain to him there were good gangsters, which in all rights sounded wrong, and there were bad ones.

Tetsu-san was a “good” guy. He helped when there was trouble in the neighborhood. He assisted families when they lost their belongings in a fire. He even sent help to places he wasn’t even affiliated with. He’d send his men to rough up others who were beating on women, children and old people. The gangster also donated to charities.

Ulquiorra scowled at this information. It was hard to believe that someone who had taken a criminal career path could be a hero.

Ginjo was an out and out bad gangster. The man lied, cheated, and stole to line his own pockets. The problems started when Ginjo landed in the hole with his boss, borrowing more and more to cover his gambling debts. He deceived Orihime, taking every bit of money that he could scam from the woman, to try and put a dent into the amount.

It was on the wind that since Orihime had left Ginjo, the man couldn’t make payments on his arrears. Tetsu was tired of waiting. He wanted the nine million yen now. He didn’t want to wait anymore. It was pay with money or pay with his life.

Urahara explained that Tetsu-san wouldn’t actually kill Ginjo, but the man would be practically enslaved and do manual labor or grunt work until he fell over dead.

“That’s a shame,” was all Ulquiorra replied with.

“Cifer are you entertaining ideas of Ginjo’s death?”

The cold stare Ulquiorra pointed at Urahara would have frightened many others. The blond laughed. “Heh, well...” the shopkeeper left him alone after that.

It was the fourth day of March when the text came.

  
***

Orihime wanted to die.

She was cold and sore and felt like a failure of a human being.  She knew it wasn’t her fault that her ex-boyfriend had deceived her; she knew it wasn’t her fault that her body was being used by him again, but Orihime couldn’t help feeling guilty that she was unable to fight back.  The little fighting back she had done had earned her a nearly dislocated shoulder and a bruised cheek. She felt ruined. Ulquiorra would never be able to look at her again.

It was the fourth or fifth day of her captivity; she wasn’t sure.  For the past two days, all she did was sit on the mildewy futon that was folded up in the corner and lean against the wall.  She refused to eat. Her sleep was light and fleeting. She was weak and lacked the energy even to try to imagine being rescued, much less escape from this situation.  They only thoughts that she was able to focus on involved the question, “Why?”

The little information given to her and Ulquiorra at Urahara’s had been not very detailed, although she was aware that gambling debts were involved.  She didn’t know how her capture and detainment were meant to help Ginjo resolve that problem. Perhaps he intended to pimp her out? Sell her off to some sicko?  She would rather die. But the idea that he would use her to hurt Ulquiorra was an idea worse than death. She had been trying to think of a way out of this situation.  She had nothing. She had no phone, no money, and no idea where she was. She was locked up in a windowless room. There was nothing in here besides the futon and a bucket.  He wouldn’t even let her use a regular toilet.

She was hopeless.

Ginjo chose that moment to open the door.

“Hey, Princess.  Wow, you are disgusting.”

Orihime just kept her eyes on the floor.  She was already focusing on making her body relax.  She knew it would prevent exacerbating the injuries he would inflict on her.

“Anyway, it looks like you might be getting out of here soon,” he smiled wickedly as he leaned against the doorframe.  “I was thinking of getting a little parting gift from you, but I don’t fuck dirty whores.”

Orihime almost laughed.  

“Anyway, get up.  I’ve gotta take you to the office.”  

Orihime struggled to her feet and hobbled toward him.  When she was within reach, he grabbed her roughly by the arm, dissatisfied with her slow pace.  “C’mon, Princess, we have an appointment. Move it,” he growled, pulling roughly.

He led her through a dark passage to a dingy office.  There was one window. Light streamed through the tobacco-tar stained glass, casting its dirty yellow light throughout the room.  It smelled like piss and the sea. She figured they must be at a port. Maybe up in Shonai, probably Sakata.

He pushed her roughly into a metal chair and told her to stay put, then walked to a desk and picked up a phone.  He stared at her after he dialed, waiting for the other party to pick up.

“Yeah. I’m ready.  He’s had enough time.  No, I don’t care. If it goes that way, I can just sell…  Yeah.” He put the receiver down.

Then he picked up a cell phone.  Orihime recognized it as her own.

“Smile for the camera, baby,” Ginjo crooned to her in a smooth, seductive voice.

She looked down.

He scoffed and stormed over to her, taking her roughly by the chin and shining the flash in her eyes.  She winced as he took a picture of her bruised face. “Perfect, you just look pretty as a picture, Princess.” He released her chin roughly and sauntered back over to the desk, tapping out a message as he did.

He finished writing as he leaned against the desk facing her and pressed the send button. He looked back up to her and smiled.  “Now, we wait.”

***

His phone chimed. Ulquiorra snatched it up before anyone else could get their hands on it. Two texts, both from Orihime. His hands shook as he tapped the screen. The first was an image, showing the redhead. Her face was being forced up, but her eyes weren’t looking at the camera. It was like she was refusing to show anyone what she had been through.

Rage bubbled inside of him like a bottle of soda that had been shaken. Someone was going to open it, and it would erupt. Ginjo would pay for this.

Green eyes stared at the woman; studying her face. “He fucking hit her,” Ulquiorra muttered. “He touched her.”

“Oi! Cifer,” Yoruichi said loudly. “What else is there or is it just a picture?”

Ulquiorra’s head snapped up away from the phone, and he glared at the cop. “There’s another text message. It says I have 6 hours to come up with ten million yen and take it to an address. I can’t read it.”

“How did you know it said that.”

"It has numbers, idiot.”

It was Urahara that had to diffuse the situation. He calmly took the phone away from Ulquiorra. “It says, ‘Bring ten million yen to Sakata. There’s a shipping warehouse near the Toyokawa River. There’s a cement service station nearby. If she’s not worth the money, she’s worth something to someone else. You have six hours.’”

“I don’t need six hours. How long does it take to get to Sakata from here?”

“Cifer, how are you going to get that much money from a bank?”

Ulquiorra looked at Yoruichi. The woman was asking stupid questions, logical questions but stupid. “I’ll write a cheque. I’ll wire the money--Why are you laughing?”

“You’re going to hand a gangster a cheque?”

“I fail to see how that is funny,” Ulquiorra replied.

Urahara’s fan came out to cover the man’s face. “Paper leaves a trail. Ginjo most likely wants cash--bills. If you were to take this information to the cops, then he could be implicated as the perpetrator to this crime.”

Ulquiorra shrugged. He’d make phone calls. He’d do something, anything to get Orihime back. “I need someone to take me there.”

There was more discussion about the situation with the other members of this special investigations team of Yoruichi’s, but Ulquiorra left the room and walked through the bookstore to the room he and Orihime used while staying there weeks ago. They were probably discussing how to capture Ginjo without sacrificing anyone.

Sacrifice was inevitable. Money was nothing to Ulquiorra. It had always been there rotting in his account. He wasn’t extravagant with his purchases. The only time he had ever bought outlandish thing was when Nel used his credit cards or wanted something. Orihime’s Valentine’s day gifts were not opulent by his standards.

His former lover had requested a necklace that was worth sixty-thousand Euros. Ulquiorra laughed at Nel.

Orihime asked for nothing. She loved him. She cherished him. The redhead deserved everything Ulquiorra could offer her. He’d give her the world if she asked. He’d protect her. He failed in that. What could he do?

Ulquiorra looked through his phone contacts, thumb flicking the screen until it stopped on one word. Vater. (father)

It would be late in Germany, but he needed this. He would have to swallow whatever pride he had and ask.

 _Ring_.

“Hallo?” the voice was gruff and deep.

“Father?”

“Ulquiorra? Do you know what time it is? I--”

Ulquiorra took a deep breath then exhaled. Asking his father for anything was a daunting task. “I need something. I need you to wire eighty-thousand Euros to my account.”

“Why? Was haben Sie gemacht?” 

Speaking to someone in his native tongue sounded strange. His father did not sound happy. He didn’t think Mikhail Cifer would be pleased to hear what his son was going through either. “Ich habe mich mit ein paar schlechten Leuten vermischt?” It sounded more like a question rather than a statement. 

There came a heavy sigh from the other end of the line. “With who? Are we talking Russians? Americans?”

“Some small time Japanese asshole?”

His father grunted. “We do not deal with criminals, Son.”

“This man has something of mine. Something important; no, not something important. Someone. He has someone who is important to me,” Ulquiorra stated. He almost felt like begging. Would that make his father understand? “Someone I want you and Mutti to meet.”

Another sigh. “This isn’t Nel, is it? Your mother and I disapproved of her--”

“No! Nel’s in Munich knocked up and getting married. I couldn’t care less about her,” came the reply from Ulquiorra. “Her name is Inoue Orihime, and I met her in a--I met her in a bookstore.”

“A bookstore, eh?”

After promising to tell his father the entire story and thirty minutes later, Ulquiorra walked back into that room of police officials; he had the money in his account. Eight figures stared at him from a website. “Who is driving me to Sakata?”

“Baka.”

“I may be an idiot,” Ulquiorra said to Yoruichi. “I’m not a coward like Ginjo is.”

The woman scoffed. It took almost three hours to reach the seaside city. The building that Ginjo given the address to was a stereotypical place that Ulquiorra expected to see. It was a place where Ginjo belonged; dirty, littered with trash and debris. Weeds grew in random places around the property. The gray corrugated metal building had only one window facing the street. There was a mobile building with brown siding sitting beside it. A vending machine, with the words Blend is Beautiful stuck on it, selling different drinks sat in front of the abandoned looking buildings.

Shipping containers sat three high behind the buildings. Yep, looked like a stereotypical bad guy hideout. It figured Ginjo would pick a place like this.

At most, Ulquiorra had ninety minutes until the deadline. He turned his head and looked at the woman who was driving. “How do we proceed?”

“I’m going to pull into the parking lot, and park where we can easily escape if need be,” the woman replied. “Look, that bay door is open. They’re waiting for us.”

Ulquiorra’s heart was pounding as the vehicle slowly pulled into the lot and then turned around to face the exit. Yoruichi inched the car forward until the nose was just sticking out into the street. Another car, identical to the one they were in pulled into the empty lot across the street.

The past four days had been agonizing for him. Ulquiorra had felt madness seeping into his awareness. He would kill whoever dared to hurt the woman who captured his heart. It wouldn’t matter if he’d die or go down with Ginjo. Someone was going to pay for this.

His hands shook as he exited the vehicle, fumbling with his coat. The purple-haired woman raised an eyebrow at him, questioning his actions.

“I’m sweating. I don’t need it. Besides if I have to do something stupid and adrenaline-fueled I don't want the coat to weigh me down.” Ulquiorra declined to mention that it still smelled like sewage water even after having it dry-cleaned. He rubbed his hands on his thighs, trying to rid the dampness that was there.  Shivering in the cold Ulquiorra started walking towards the dark interior of the warehouse.

Once he and the cop passed through the door, Ulquiorra heard, “Cifer, glad you could make it.”

The man with moss green eyes looked up to see Ginjo on some kind of scaffolding or high platform. He was leaning against the railing. “Oh, I see you brought a friend. Well, I’ll let it slide since I didn’t tell you that you couldn’t bring anyone along. I mean there’s also the fact that you can’t drive and taking the train up here would have caused you to run out of time.”

“Fuck you,” Ulquiorra shouted.

“Nah, I only like redheads.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hallo - Hello  
> Was haben Sie gemacht - What did you do?  
> Ich habe mich mit ein paar schlechten Leuten vermischt? - I got mixed up with bad people


	26. Forgiven

_Click._

That was the sound of Ginjo’s fingers snapping. It was the sound of murderous rage being let loose inside Ulquiorra’s brain. If it was legal, he’d have a sword or a gun or some kind of weapon so he could take Ginjo’s head off. He wanted the man to cease and desist breathing.

“Bring her out,” Ginjo called to someone standing behind him.

It didn’t take long for Ulquiorra to see a glimpse of red hair that was knotted and tangled. Orihime’s face was bruised. She was barely clothed and trembling. Her arms and what he could see of her legs were covered in dark spots. Ulquiorra’s eye twitched.

“Shoot him,” Ulquiorra said to the woman standing beside him. “Shoot him.”  
  
“I can’t Cifer. ”

“Arrest him then! Do something!”

Ginjo whistled. “Attention up here. The bidding for this unappealing whore starts at ten million yen… Any takers?”

“Let her go!” Ulquiorra shouted. Since Ginjo was above him and there was no visible way to get up there, he couldn’t do anything. “I would have paid you money just to leave us alone! You didn’t have to go through with this!”

“Ah, but I did,” Ginjo said. He motioned for the tall and skinny stick of a man to release Orihime. She yelped when her ex-lover grabbed her arm and flung her forward. Ulquiorra froze as she barely caught herself on the railing. “I couldn’t have some nasty foreigner thinking he was better than me. So upstanding you are, aren’t you Cifer?”

A hateful look crossed Ulquiorra’s face. “I never thought that,” he snarled. “I have the money, let her go!”

Ginjo looked around like he was trying to find something he couldn’t see. It reminded the German man of one scene from a popular cult film. The Japanese man shook his head. “I don’t see any typical bags or briefcases. Where’s my money, Cifer?”

“I can wire it to your account. I have it all ready--”

“Ah, see… I can’t do that. I needed the physical bills. I’ve got a bounty on my head and if I don’t pay it, it’s goodnight for Ginjo Kugo.” The bigger man grabbed Orihime again and forced her to stand up. Ulquiorra could see that he towered over the woman by almost a foot. “Princess, it looks like your knight in shining armor is just some idiot on a donkey.”

Time slowed down and every second that passed seemed like years. Eventually what Ulquiorra witnessed made it stop. Ginjo pulled his arm back and let it fly, backhanding Orihime. The redhead cried out and fell to the metal grating of the elevated floor. He watched as the bastard of a man grabbed the woman by the shirt, this time intent on hitting her with a closed first.

His world was about to be annihilated. Ginjo was going to do serious harm to Orihime and he couldn’t stop it. He was a failure. He should have just left her alone. He should have respected O’s relationship instead of falling for her. This would have never happened. Had he stayed an island and not interacting with anyone, Orihime wouldn’t be in pain. She wouldn’t be afraid. She wouldn’t--Thud.

The sound of Ginjo’s fist hitting Orihime’s body made him sick. “Do something!” He turned towards Yoruichi who had her phone out. She was tapping a message into the device. “I’ve got backup coming. That was--”

“I DON’T GIVE A FUCK!” Ulquiorra screamed. How could she just stand there allowing this to happen? Wasn’t she a part of the force that protected citizens? By the time anyone got there to help them, Orihime could be on the brink of--

“That will be enough, Ginjo.”

Snapped out of his thoughts, Ulquiorra turned to see a man in an expensive black suit. It was custom-tailored, that much was obvious to his keen eye. The newcomer had an authoritative air about him as he walked into the warehouse, trailed by several other men. The entourage carried long swords and several had what looked to be automatic weapons.

“Shihoin-san. Call your men off.”

“Tetsu-san,” Yoruichi said. She placed a hand on Ulquiorra’s shoulder.

An eyebrow raised above those sunglasses. “I’ve no quarrel with you. I’m here for Ginjo. I am a man of integrity. I am a man of my word. I am a man that strives for loyalty. You know this, Shihoin-san.”

Ulquiorra took a split-second to glance at Ginjo who was standing up on his pedestal, looking dumbfounded. He could hear Orihime whimpering above him. He had a hard time trying to swallow.

“Ginjo is a poor reflection of my organization,” the suited man said. He brought his hand up to smooth down an already flawless mustache. “He lacks discipline. He lacks self-control. You are Ulquiorra Cifer, are you not?”

“What?”

“You’re Ulquiorra Cifer? U. C.? My men have heard Ginjo talk about a man who was key to untold riches for him,” the gangster said as he came to a stop in front of the scaffolding. He turned and bowed only marginally to Ulquiorra. “I am Iba Tetsuzaemon or Tetsu-san. I’m involved in--”

“Murders and kidnappings and lording over general delinquents like that fucker?” Ulquiorra said, finishing the man sentence for him. The words came out of his mouth without thought to the consequences. This was a criminally minded human. Those men were armed to kill and here he was sassing their boss.

The gangster smiled at that. “No, I’m not into those kinds of business transactions. I’m into real estate, a vast construction business, extortion. I help out my community.”

Ulquiorra couldn’t help but snort at that.

“Ginjo? Do you have my money?”

“I, uh,” the slicked haired bastard was fumbling for words. “Just need a couple more days, sir.”

“You have a couple more minutes,” Tetsu-san countered. He lifted a hand and with two fingers, motioned for his men go forward. “Grab him and the woman, if the rest of X-Cution is up there, bring them along. They all can work for their disloyalty.”

“Wait, what are you going to do with Orihime?” Ulquiorra asked. Yoruichi had to grab his other shoulder to keep him from walking up to the gangster.

“I’m willing to compromise, Cifer. You were going to pay Ginjo how much? I’ll just take what he owes me. Wire the money and we’ll be done here. You can take your Inoue-san and be on your way home,” Tetsu-san stated.

Ulquiorra did not waste any time. He nodded, agreeing to the deal. Anything to get Orihime back to him. “Just give me the information, I’ll do it now,” he said. “What about that sad sack of shit? Are you going to kill him? Please tell me that you are; he deserves it.”

“Unfortunately, that won’t be the case,” the gangster said, pulling out a cigarette from an inner breast pocket. The man carefully lit it and then exhaled, sending bluish tinted smoke into the air. “I didn’t lie when I said I don’t kill, Cifer. I haven’t ever taken a life voluntarily. I model my organization like the Japanese penal system. No, Ginjo and his friends will be worked to death; I’ll make examples out of them.”

“Let’s do this. Give me the information,” Ulquiorra said.

“Kira,” Tetsu-san called out. “Give Cifer what he needs and then check it over.”

A depressed blond man walked into the building. He held out a tablet and Ulquiorra glanced at the mob boss. “Please go ahead and begin,” the lackey said.

It took several moments for Ulquiorra to enter what he needed into the fields. Soon a confirmation message popped up and he handed the tablet back to the other male.

“Verified, sir. Nine million yen.”

“It was nice doing business with you Cifer. Here is the item you just purchased.” The gangster moved.

Orihime was limping toward him with the help of two other men. It didn’t take long for Ulquiorra to rush to her, pulling Orihime close to him. He hugged her tight but after hearing her hiss, he eased off the pressure. “I’m sorry,” he murmured in her ear. “I’m sorry.”

Yoruichi stood there looking at the couple. “It’s time to leave. You two can have your reunion in the car.”

Ulquiorra looked at the cop and nodded. He picked Orihime up, carrying her bridal-style out to the vehicle. He wanted to stay and see Ginjo being taken away. He wanted to see punishment being meted out to the man who caused his woman trauma. The purple-haired woman had the rear door already open and she probably expected Ulquiorra to sit in the front but he didn’t. After helping Orihime into the car, he slid in next to her, embracing her. It was Yoruichi who handed him his coat which he draped over the woman sitting beside him.

“I’m so sorry, Orihime.”

She refused to look at anyone, staring at her bare knees and replied in a hollow voice.  “No, I’m the one who is sorry. I should have fought harder. I should have resisted more.  I should have died rather than give up. I’m worthless.” She paused and raised her eyes to his chest, “I’ll pay you back.  I’m so sorry, Ulquiorra.”

Ulquiorra was speechless, unable to comprehend what she was saying. She closed her eyes and folded her hands in her lap.  “Did someone give you my phone?”

Ulquiorra looked at the warehouse in anger. How dare someone make her feel like she had to fight harder! How dare anyone make her think she was worthless. He found his voice but it wavered. He had to fight back the emotions he was feeling at the moment. “No, Baby. I can get you a new phone. If you want I can go back in and check to see if anyone found it. I will not hear of any discussion of you ‘paying me back’. You are not worthless. You are priceless to me.”

He cupped her cheek but seeing her flinch when his hand came near her face broke his heart. “Orihime.”

“It’s just…  It’s stupid at this point.   The pictures…”

Orihime started to tremble.  She still had not processed the fact that she had been rescued, but her body seemed to know.  Her teeth chattered despite the car’s warm exterior. Her breathing started to become erratic.  Sharp nasal inhalations, followed by slower, shakier exhalations. Her hands came up to clutch herself by the upper arms until one quickly came to her front and she wretched.  Her stomach was empty, so nothing came out, but she continued to try, keeping one arm wrapped around herself and the other covering her mouth.

He didn’t know what to do. This was just like that time when they fought. Ulquiorra was quickly losing Orihime. He didn’t think there was anything that he could do to keep her from lashing out. “If you want the phone I’ll go find it,” he said, knowing that it was a stupid point. If having the phone made her feel better then he’d search until it was found. Ulquiorra knew that this problem was bigger than a missing phone though.

Orihime shook her head.  “No. Forget the phone. Let’s get out of here,” she said in a thick voice, still bent over.  “I just want to get away from here.” Her mind was racing. Back to what had happened at Ginjo’s hands, forward to her inevitable rejection by Ulquiorra.  She just wanted to run.

Ulquiorra looked around for Yoruichi. The woman was standing close by but she was obviously watching the couple. He nodded to her to return. Once the other woman was in the car, Ulquiorra said, “Take us back to Yonezawa,” quietly. “Once we get there, take us to the hospital.”

“Thank you,” Orihime whispered, her breathing calming down.  She was quiet for the rest of the ride back.

 

***

 

The doctors had told her she would be fine after some fluids and a few days rest.  The worst she had sustained was some superficial lacerations and contusions. She was also very dehydrated.  They gave her tranquilizers to help her sleep and heal. After three days, she was released.

She had requested to be retested for STIs.  Everything that could be quickly cultured came up negative.  She’d have to wait a couple weeks for the rest.

Ulquiorra stayed with her when he was not at work.  He was very sweet, asking her what she needed and holding her hand.  He didn’t have to do that. She knew that after everything had settled and she confessed to him that after the first slap to the face, she had allowed Ginjo to use her as he pleased, Ulquiorra would be disgusted with her and want her out.  She couldn’t blame him. She was a terrible woman.

So when it came time to leave the hospital, she asked him if he minded stopping at a cafe to talk.  She didn’t want to do this at home. If she did she would break down in front of him, and she didn’t want to make him feel guilty for making her cry.

Ulquiorra had driven her car from their apartment to the hospital to pick her up despite not being a licensed driver in Japan.  He didn’t care. After what they had been through, she didn’t care either. It was worth a fine if he got caught. She could just add it to the rest of her debt to him.

They got to the place and asked for a quiet table in the corner and ordered some coffee.  He sat across from her and looked at her with a soft expression, his mouth not quite smiling but with fondness in his eyes.  She hated herself for what she was going to tell him. She was going to break his heart.

She took a deep breath.  “Ulquiorra, I’m sorry for what I have to tell you…”

He listened to her words. He heard what Orihime had said and by the time she was finished, his expression had turned dark and his mouth was a straight line. Ginjo was a bastard for what he did; for the abuse he put the redhead through. He didn’t blame Orihime though. She did what she needed to do to survive. It was totally understandable but her words hurt. “You’re saying you want to break up with me? That you’re going to move out?” His voice was a monotone. He was trying to bring up all the walls that he could to protect himself.

“No!  I don’t want any of this!” she said, her palms pressed flat against the surface of the table.  “All I want is to go back in time and be with you and be happy but I am not going to make you beholden to some whore who let that sick bastard touch her again.”

“I see,” he said but he was lying. He didn’t understand what was going through her head. Why would she want to leave him if she wanted to be happy? Ulquiorra looked into the coffee cup and then around the cafe before setting his eyes on Orihime. “I never thought you were a whore, Orihime. I still don’t think that. You’re not a burden to me. This is Ginjo’s doing; it’s his fault.”

He bit his lip, trying to think of something to say that would make this all better; that would smooth out the creases. “We could go somewhere. We could go to Kara--mura? Kara--That town where you grew up. Maybe getting out of Yamagata would help. We could go to where Kurosaki and that big dumb idiot live. I’ll sleep on the couch. You can have the bed. Just--” Ulquiorra swallowed.

Orihime’s lip started to tremble.  “No,” she whispered. “If you… You would do that for me?  You could forgive me?” Tears pooled in her eyes as they met his for the first time since this ordeal began.

His head nodded. “I would do anything for you Orihime. There’s nothing to forgive. I’ll never forgive Ginjo and I’ve seriously contemplated killing him.” Ulquiorra sighed. “I’m sure I can restructure my contract to fit a different prefecture.”

Orihime was overwhelmed with emotion.  Her voice was too thick to speak, so she got up and slowly walked over to Ulquiorra’s side.  Not caring at all for who might see, she knelt on the ground beside him and brought her head to the floor.  Her body shook as she choked out the words, “I’ll never deserve your forgiveness, but I don’t think I could live without it.  Thank you.”

Ulquiorra understood the significance of what Orihime was doing. He pushed back his chair and got down on his knees, so he was at her level. Using his hands, he lifted Orihime’s head up and kissed her. “Shut up, woman. I love you.”

It was as if a dam inside of her had broken, and as she clawed her way into his arms and grasped at his back, she sobbed. All of her fear and heartbreak and guilt and agony were being released at once.  The quiet, rational part of her mind chided her for choosing to do this in public, but it was being overruled by the rest of her emotions. If it was up to her she was never letting him go again. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, choking on her tears and smelling his scent again, which only caused another round of strangled cries.  She had missed him. “I need you, Ulquiorra. I love you with my whole heart. If you’ll have me I’ll never let go.”

If he would have her? This woman was unbelievable. He would always have her. “We should go home if you’d like. We can talk about things there or we can go to a hotel if you don’t want to do that,” Ulquiorra murmured to her. “I can understand if you don’t want to go back to the apartment.”

“Take me home,” she sighed into his ear. 


	27. A New Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to our second arc of LLTAS. Please make sure you have tissues ready.

“Who is this guy again?” Ulquiorra asked.

“Only the most annoying person on the face of the planet,” Ichigo replied.

“Why are we picking him up?”

“Cifer, shut up.”

Ulquiorra crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. As soon as they could, Orihime had called Chad and Ichigo and told them the news. They were moving to Fukuoka. He remembered the minimal information she had given to her friends. It had boiled down to Ginjo attacked her and she wanted nothing further to do with this part of Japan.

Her friends had helped them connect to a real estate agent to find an apartment close to theirs, although Ulquiorra had voiced concerns about this. He really didn’t want to be anywhere around her friends but they were a support system for her, so he would put up with their stares at her. She needed other people in her life besides just him.

The next person they told was Urahara, who wished them luck. The German man had been warned that the climate was different than what he was used to. It was much more humid and warm the further south they went.

They packed their apartment up in boxes and shipped them to the Ichigo and Chad. Before they left, Ulquiorra got a call from Tetsu-san.

“We have Inoue-san’s phone,” the gangster said.

“Keep it, I’ve already bought her a new one. If you could send the pictures she has saved on there, I’d appreciate it.”

“I can do that. I won’t be contacting you again, so I’ll say this now. I apologize for my employee’s actions.”

Ulquiorra’s reply was icy. “Have one of your associates put a bullet through his head.” Then he hung up. He had been glad that Orihime was out that day. She was slowly getting better. Her smiles seemed more genuine instead of just a mask or an act.

Their plans were not to fly directly to their new city but take the train to Tokyo Station and then meet up with Chad and Ichigo in Karakura. There was some big get together happening. All of Orihime’s friends would be there. As they sat together on the train, Ulquiorra held her hand. He’d been studying her hand for a while. He had an idea of going to Germany in September or October. The scenery would be absolutely beautiful. It would be perfect for meeting his family and the few friends he had.

Still, meeting all of Orihime’s childhood friends was intimidating. He’d heard stories about a Chizuru, how the woman was obsessed with Orihime and tried to grope her at every opportunity she could get. Then there was Tatsuki who could probably crush him to death with her thighs; Chad had told him that Orihime’s best friend was some kind of martial arts master. He decided to stay on Chun-Li’s good side.

Orihime had mentioned this Uryu Ishida a couple of times and that’s who he and Ichigo were waiting for at Karakura station. “Can’t this guy find his own way to your father’s house?” Ulquiorra asked after looking at his watch for what seemed to be the millionth time.

“It’s Ishida. He’s going to have his entire wardrobe with him,” Ichigo replied. “It’d be rude to let him walk with all that stuff or take a taxi.”

“Hmph.”

“Stop. Just because Uryu is male doesn’t mean he’s going to be--”

“Practically humping Orihime’s leg like you and Chad? By the way, did you two ever declare your love for each other? Which one of you is the bitch?”

The orange-headed male scoffed. “Would you mind your own business?”

“That’s not a denial.”

“What? No! I’m not denying it because there’s nothing to deny--”

“So you two are fucking,” Ulquiorra quipped.

“Cifer, stop. Chad and I are just roommates,” Ichigo stammered.

“Orihime and I were roommates.”

“Oh my god. Being roommates doesn’t mean anything!”

Ulquiorra chuckled. “Okay, Kurosaki.”

Ichigo scowled, “You don’t believe me! I’m going to maim you in your sleep. If I have to deal with you and Ishida, I’m going to go insane.”

“You can always have a romantic getaway with your boyfriend.” Silence. Ulquiorra could feel that death glare coming from Kurosaki.

“Shut up.”

An audible exhale could be heard from behind the arguing pair.   A sharp, genteel voice spoke. “Kurosaki.”

“Ishida,” Ichigo answered before turning around.

“The years have not been kind,”  Uryu replied, after Ichigo turned around, then looked down to one of his bags and held it up for him to take.  After passing off the luggage, Uryu looked back up and adjusted his rectangular-shaped eyeglasses, looking at Ulquiorra.  “So, who’s this, then, your boyfriend?”

“Disgusting. I wouldn’t date this trash posing as a human,” Ulquiorra stated, looking at the newcomer. “I’m Orihime’s boyfriend. Kurosaki’s dating Chad.”

“What?  I am not!” Ichigo spat, as Uryu let an amused expression cross his face, before glancing at Ulquiorra with a hint of appreciation.  

“Well, Inoue-san has mentioned dating a foreigner in our emails,” Uryu said as he held out his hand to Ulquiorra and switched to flawless English, “Uryu Ishida.  It’s a pleasure to meet you, er…”

“Fuckwad.” Ichigo interjected, helpfully.

Ulquiorra rolled his green eyes, afraid that they were going to pop out of his head. “Trashcan,” he muttered before taking the offered hand. “Ulquiorra Cifer. A pleasure to meet you, Ishida. See, Kurosaki, that’s how you properly greet people.”

Uryu raised his eyebrows at Ulquiorra.  “Indeed, Kurosaki has always lacked in social graces.  However,” he paused here and looked Ulquiorra up and down.  “We’re going to have to do something about you.”

Automatically, Ulquiorra released the man’s hand and looked at him, offended. “I beg your pardon?” He enunciated each word. “There is nothing wrong with me.”

“Well there’s no accounting for taste, is there?” Uryu said airily, turning around and picking up a garment bag and passing it to Ulquiorra.  “Be that as it may, I think I can help you out. Inoue-san is my dear friend, as I’m sure you have been made aware. She is also the most beautiful woman I have ever known.  She can’t be seen roughing it.”

“I BEG YOUR PARDON?” Ulquiorra asked again, this time louder. How dare this man say that Orihime was roughing it. He dropped the garment bag and turned to Kurosaki. “I’m waiting in the car. You and Mr. Diva can get his things.”

And with that, he stomped back to Kurosaki Sr.’s car.

“Kind of emotional, isn’t he?”  Uryu asked in a snippy voice.

“You have no idea,” Ichigo answered.  Let’s get to the car.

***

Orihime had stayed back in Karakura to catch up with her girlfriends before everyone met up later that evening.  She was sitting in the Kurosaki living room with Karin and Yuzu, waiting for Tatsuki and Chizuru to arrive.

“So, moving down to Kyushu to be closer to Ichi-ni, eh?” Karin asked under a suspicious brow.

“What do you mean, Karin?  I have a boyfriend… But I guess we are moving to be closer.  Your brother and Ulquiorra get along surprisingly well.”

Yuzu pointed her trusty wooden spoon at her twin. “Karin, be nice and quit teasing! Ulquiorra is very nice and respectful. I think it’s nice that Orihime has found such a nice guy.”

Karin scoffed.  “Sure you do, Yuzu.  You’re not at all biding your time for her to get tired of being with a foreigner and—“

The knocking at the door was frantic. Yuzu tried not to sigh in relief as she got up to answer the door. “It’s Tatsuki and Chizuru!” Yuzu called out as she led the other two women into the living room.

Chizuru was immediately bounding towards Orihime with her arms outstretched, almost tackling the woman. “Orihime! I’ve missed you so much! I heard from Tatsuki--”

“Chizuru-chan!  You look so… You look so…” Orihime was at a loss for words.  She cleared her throat. “You look so different!” she blurted out.

“Oh! Thank you for noticing my perfect flowering princess!” Chizuru practically crooned. She didn’t notice how Orihime winced at the word. “So what do you think?”

A snort came from Karin. “You look like Ichi-ni with tits and tattoos.”

“KARIN!” Yuzu scolded.

Karin wasn’t wrong, either.  Chizuru had dyed her hair bright orange and cut it above her chin with an undercut on the left side. She had a gruesome skull tattoo splashed across her exposed cleavage and was dressed in short shorts made from ripped jeans and a low cut black t-shirt.  She was dressed to get some attention.

Chizuru stepped back from Orihime and pouted. “I think I look rather nice. You have to keep with the trends in Kabukicho.”

“If you’re a prostitute, maybe,” said Tatsuki from behind.

“As if, I’m saving my love for Orihime!”

“Oh, um, thank you, Chizuru-chan,”  Orihime stammered before turning her attention to Tatsuki.

“Tatsuki!!!!!!” she whined like a little girl, throwing herself toward the martial artist.

Yuzu held back a giggle at the reunion that was happening. “So Orihime, you were telling us about your boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend? You said she dumped him Tatsuki!”

Orihime looked at Tatsuki with wide, shocked eyes.

“I didn’t tell her about the new one,” Tatsuki replied with an apologetic frown.

“Oh,” Orihime responded, unfazed.  “Well I do have a new one and he is a vast improvement.”  She didn’t even try to mask her bitterness.

“He’s a foreigner!” Yuzu squealed.

“Who is he? Where’d he come from? How long have you two been dating?” Chizuru asked, giving Orihime the first degree of questioning. She had to know these things because it was her rightful duty as one of Orihime’s past loves. Okay well, maybe that was going too far, but Orihime had always been in Chizuru’s heart.

“Ah, well, his name is Ulquiorra and he’s from Germany and we’ve been dating since Christmas,” she answered, keeping track of each question with her fingers.

“Well I look forward to meeting him,” Tatsuki said, cracking her knuckles.  “He had better be an improvement over the last one. He was no good for you, Orihime.”

Orihime flinched,  “I know,” she answered, deadly serious.

“HMPH!” Chizuru grumbled. “Where is this boyfriend?”

“He and Ichigo went to pick up what’s-his-face!” Karin commented as she flipped through television channels. “I think Sado is around here somewhere.”

“Karin! His name is Ishida!”

“Yeah, whatever,” the twin replied.

Orihime blushed at the mention of Chad’s name, biting her lip and trying to hide her face.  It was way too obvious.

“Oh my god, Orihime! Did you and Chad do something?” This question came from Chizuru who practically screamed at the redhead.

“No!  No, we’ve never _done_ anything!” she denied, nearly screeching.

Chizuru narrowed her eyes and studied the woman. “You’re being defensive! What happened? Where did Chad touch you?! CHAD! SADO-KUN! Where are you! You must answer to defiling Orihime’s honor!”

“What?” the big man said walking into the room. “I could hear you all the way outside, Honso.”

“Sado-kun,” Orihime whined, face red as a tomato.  “Please tell them that nothing, um, _inappropriate_ happened between us when you and Ichigo came up to Yonezawa.”  She didn’t notice that she used Ichigo’s first name.

“Oh ho ho! Maybe it wasn’t Chad! Maybe you and Ichigo and your new boyfriend did something!” Chizuru was rabid when it came to the redheaded woman. She had always harbored a crush for her. “Maybe you and him and Ichigo and Chad all had a wild night of--”

“Drinking,” Chad stated, interrupting the woman’s rant. “We drank. We played this game called… I’m not sure how to say it, but it involved drinking shots if you’ve done something.”

“Really?”  
  
Chad nodded. “Seriously, nothing inappropriate happened on that night. I mean the next night was--Nothing happened.”

“You’re both liars! Look how red their faces are. Tatsuki look!”

“Uh, yeah, I’m gonna side with Chiz here, What are you two hiding?” Tatsuki asked.

“Uh, nothing. Nothing happened,” Chad said. “It’s just during this game… Embarrassing questions were asked.”

“Like what? Have you ever had a threesome or given a blowjob?”

“Yes.” Chad’s eyes immediately looked at Tatsuki and then his face got even redder. “That’s all that happened.”

Orihime’s eyes popped out of their sockets.  She saw the fleeting glance between her best friend and Chad.  “YOU! You two? And…?” Orihime couldn’t continue as she grinned so hard her cheeks began to burn.  She giggled maniacally. “Oh my god!!” She squealed. Then she stopped short and asked seriously, “wait, who’s the other one?”

“No, you’re jumping to conclusions, Orihime.” Chad coughed, “It’s no one--”

“It was Asano. He bragged about it,” Karin commented.

“Tatsuki…” Orihime raises a sly eyebrow at her best friend. “I am simultaneously offended that you never told me and impressed.  Was this in high school?”

“It was before she left for the tournament,” Chad mumbled. “Remind me to shove Keigo into a box.”

Orihime let her guard down.  “Well now I don’t feel so bad about you guys seeing me naked,” she muttered obliviously as she walked some garbage to the bin.

“WHAT? THEY GOT TO SEE YOU NAKED? WHEN WAS THIS? WHO HAS SEEN YOU NAKED?” Chizuru bellowed. The pierced and tattooed lesbian’s face was red. “I DEMAND TO SEE THIS!”

Orihime crossed her arms over her breasts. “No! Chizuru-chan, Ulquiorra nearly killed them and they are both bigger than him.”

“It’s true,” Chad said, nodding his head.  
  
“What’s true?”

Chad turned around to see the very man they’d been talking about. “Cifer-san. Nothing. Nothing is true.”

***

The car ride from the train station to Kurosaki’s family’s home was quiet and filled with tension. Ulquiorra made that Ishida guy ride in the backseat. He could hear the jackass mumbling in back there.  
  
“His hair. Shaggy--”  
  
“Those jeans, the quality--”

“That t-shirt and open shirt combo--”

“Are you quite done insulting me?”

“Hardly,”  Uryu muttered.  “However, these are not insults, I’m merely taking inventory.”  

Ulquiorra turned around to face the man who was sitting in the back. “Alright, if we’re playing this game. Your haircut does nothing for your face. You look twelve years old. Your glasses don’t flatter your face. Your Prada loafers are knock-offs; they don’t use brown stitching on black loafers. Also, your watch, those so-called diamante chips are cubic zirconias.”

“I beg your pardon? What would you know of it?”

“I got Orihime a Cartier Light Diamond necklace for Valentine’s day. I know the difference between her lingerie that was made in France and the stuff that Ginjo tried to pass off as expensive. I own several Armani suits. Shall I go on?” Ulquiorra seethed. How dare this simpleton challenge him!

Uryu harrumphed and crossed his arms across his chest.  He had been bested, for the first time in a long time. He was desperate to one-up the interloper seated in front of him.  “So, Cifer-san. Do you do any sports?”

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes and turned around to face the front of the car. “I like football, soccer. I used to play it in school but broke my foot and decided to be a spectator. I liked academic pursuits rather than athletic ones. They were better suited to my strengths.”

Uryu cocked an eyebrow, smirking and pushing his stupid glasses up his nose.  “Really? That’s a shame. When I lived in Yonezawa with _Orihime,_ we would sometimes go to the archery range and shoot after work.  She was really rather fond of it. But you’re right; academic pursuits are much more fulfilling, don’t you agree, Kurosaki?  We were both on track to go to medical school until I decided on a career change.”

Ichigo just chuckled to himself.  He had to focus on the road, and figured this shitshow would be amusing enough on its own without his help. He remembered the ass-reaming he’d gotten from Cifer for calling Orihime by her first name.

Immediately, Ulquiorra’s head turned back around and he glared at the man. “Excuse you? You shall address my girlfriend by Inoue, not Orihime. I’ve heard bits and pieces about you, Ishida. You’re the dick that left which caused her to hook up with that sadistic bastard! Be glad that I don’t cull you right where you sit, because I’m half-tempted to!”

Uryu had always been pompous and over-confident.  Today was no exception. He chuckled at Ulquiorra’s threats.  “You and what army?”

“Uh, you don’t--” Ichigo started to say but was cut off.  
  
“I don’t need an army you pretentious twat,” Ulquiorra stated. “If you gave up medical school then what do you do now that can afford you to buy faux designer brands?”

“I am studying fashion design,  if you must know, and my connections are what keep me kitted this way.  It’s not a gravy train, I’ll admit. But one must follow one’s passions.  My father, however, has grown generous as he gets older.” Uryu had a tendency to babble when he felt backed into a corner.

“Which is exactly why I took up teaching instead of going into the pharmaceutical research field which has made my parents multi-millionaires,” the green-eyed man snapped. “At least I don’t live off Daddy’s money.”

“Well, we’re here,” Ichigo announced in an overly-amused voice as he pulled up to the clinic.

Ulquiorra looked at the clinic with a scowl. “Who is that by the door? Why is he crying?”

“It’s just Keigo, ignore him,” Ichigo said shutting the car off and opening the door.

“ICHIGOOOOOOOOOOOOO! They won’t let me in!”

***

  
“Wait, what are we playing?”

Keigo rolled his eyes and sighed, while slumping forward. “Ughhh why is this old guy here?”

Ulquiorra looked affronted. “I beg your--”

“Cifer-san is Inoue’s boyfriend. They’re leaving with us when we go back to Kyushu,” Chad said. “I’ll be just as old as him when my birthday comes around.”  
  
“Old, you’re all old. Geezers!”

Ulquiorra sighed and looked over at Orihime. “I’m going to murder two of your friends. Three if I could ever get my hands around Chad’s neck.”

Orihime giggled and blushed at her boyfriend.  She loved it when he made her feel like they were an island separated from the others. Still, she could not condone idle death threats.  “Now, now, Babe, these are my friends you’re talking about,” she grinned and threw her head back, her hair cascading over her shoulder and whipping Tatsuki in the face.

“Hey, cool it, Hime.  Are you sure you’re sober enough to play this game?” Tatsuki asked.

“Yes, I’m just giddy.” came the reply.

It was Chad who went to get alcohol at Keigo’s insistence. He had taken Ichigo with him to help carry the bags with the various bottles in it. “Uh, aren’t you going to give her the whole p-word talk, Cifer-san?”

“No,” Ulquiorra said, sipping on the beer he had picked out of the bunch. “If Orihime isn’t bothered by it I’m not going to bother with it.” He leaned over and nuzzled the woman’s ear, just to make a point. “Besides, Orihime is much more than a mere princess. She’s a queen.”

Chizuru was sitting between Keigo and Chad. She huffed. “So we’re playing what?”  
  
“Okay, so on the internet--”  
  
“There’s porn.”

“Honso, shut up!” Keigo yelled. “So there’s this game Americans' play that’s called High Stakes Truth or Dare. You can refuse questions and dares but you have to remove clothing.”

“That’s boring,” Chizuru said. “I want to play Spin the Bottle.”

Keigo snorted a laugh. “You just want to play that to cop a feel on Orihime--I mean Inoue. I totally said Inoue.”

Uryu scoffed.  “Keigo, when are you going to grow up, nobody wants to play your juvenile games--”

“Speak for yourself, Poindexter.”  Tatsuki snarked between swigs of beer.

“I’m game,” Orihime said with a smile.  She was curious. It would be fun. And there was not much that turned her on more than a jealous Ulquiorra.

Ichigo sighed.  “I’ll play anything as long as we have beer.”

Chad swallowed a drink from his bottle before saying, “It doesn’t matter to me. We can play either or combine them.”  
  
Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow. “Combine them?”  
  
“Yeah, you could take a dare, a truth or spin the bottle!” Chizuru said excitedly.

Green eyes looked at everyone around the table. He didn’t trust any of them around an inebriated Orihime. “Sounds like it could be interesting,” he said.

“Ok then,” Ichigo said, as usual taking the role of leader, “Who’s first?  Oldest to youngest?” he eyed Ulquiorra pointedly. “Ladies first?” His gaze fell on Orihime.  “What do you think?”

“Yes! Ladies first and I’ll go! I pick spin the bottle!” Chizuru shouted. She was a bit tipsy already, and she found an empty bottle which she sat in the middle of the table. She spun it, smiling in delightful mischief until the bottle landed on Keigo. A look of disgust quickly came and went. Chizuru shrugged.

“Maybe next time,” she said before leaning over to give Keigo a peck on the cheek since he was sitting beside her. “I pick… Orihime to go next!”

“Um, Ok,” she paused to look at Ulquiorra to try to gauge how he felt about this.

He stared back at her before whispering in her ear, “Have fun. I’ll fuck you later.”

She smirked and shivered.  “I guess I’ll spin the bottle too,” she said, leaning over and spinning it.  It landed on Chad. Orihime blushed and felt shy for a minute, looking at Chad as if to ask if it was ok.

Chad nodded and offered his cheek to Orihime. He didn’t want to die by Cifer’s hand tonight.

Orihime smiled then and crawled over to him to peck him on the cheek.  She would never tell anyone she was slightly disappointed that that was all she was able to do. She slithered back to her spot.  “Ok, I pick…” her eyes scanned the room, “Tatsuki!”

Tatsuki narrowed her eyes at Orihime.  Usually, she would do something active, but she wanted to see if she could make Orihime squirm.  “Truth,” she said.

“Oh,” Orihime said somewhat taken aback.  She was not expecting this. “Um, truth, huh.  Um… Oh! Did you really have a threesome with Chad and Keigo?”

Ichigo spit out his beer.  Uryu dropped his and quickly picked it up, sputtering obscenities under his breath.

Ulquiorra chuckled at this revelation. He tipped his beer towards Chad. “Nice,” he smiled.

Tatsuki rolled her eyes slightly but smiled in a way that read wistful.  “Yeah…”

“Follow-up question, Tatsuki-chan,” Orihime said quickly, “How does that work?”

“Only one question per customer.  Next!” Tatsuki said, acting bored, but blushing furiously.  “I choose… Keigo.”

“DARE!” he crowed. “I pick dare!”

Tatsuki raised an evil brow, and leaned back on her elbows.  “Alright hotshot. I dare you to kiss Chad. With tongue.”

“You are so evil, Arisawa.” Since Chizuru was in between Keigo and Chad, he leaned over the woman, shoving her head into Chad’s chest. “No homo, bro.”

Keigo reached out with his hands and quickly kissed Chad, shoving his tongue in the other man’s mouth, before being pushed away by Chizuru.

“Ugh, you prick!”

“Uh, I pick… I pick Ichigo!”

Ichigo looked unimpressed.  “Uh, Ok. Um. Dare.”

“I dare you to kiss Cifer-san.”

Ichigo smiled at Keigo like a cat smiles at a mouse.  He slowly brought a hand up and over his head and pulled his shirt off.  

Keigo was disappointed and frowned. “Loser.”

Orihime, Chad, and Tatsuki raised appreciative glances at Ichigo’s torso before refocusing.

“Way to take one for the team, Kurosaki.” This amused statement came from Ulquiorra.

Ichigo tipped his bottle in Ulquiorra’s direction.  “Glad you appreciate it Cifer, you’re up next.”

“What?” Ulquiorra asked. “No, no. I’m not playing.”

“Oh, yes you are. You’re sitting at the game table. You are playing, Cifer-san.” Keigo said.

“Fine. Dare.”

Ichigo pondered for a moment, tapping the neck of his beer bottle to his chin.  “I dare you to… kiss Tatsuki.” Ichigo looked at both Tatsuki and Orihime, waiting hungrily for an adverse reaction.

Ulquiorra looked at Tatsuki and then he gave a side-eye glance at his girlfriend. Kurosaki never said where to kiss the other woman. “Is this agreeable, Miss Arisawa?”

Tatsuki sent Orihime a ‘ _What the hell do you want me to do?’_ look before answering, “Uh, I guess.  It’s just a game.”

He gave Ichigo a smug grin before leaning over Orihime, groping her breast on the way towards Tatsuki, and gave her a quick peck on the lips. After Ulquiorra sat back down he took in his girlfriend’s reaction. She looked to be blushing but it could be the alcohol in her system. “Ishida, your turn.”

Uryu had been having a hard time in New York.  He was feeling somewhat...frustrated. He spun the bottle.  It landed on Tatsuki. “Well, aren’t you popular,” he snarked, trying to make it seem like he wasn’t happy about it.  

Tatsuki sighed.  She had never thought of Uryu in that light, but he was actually looking kind of cute tonight.  He’d grown into himself, looked a little more put together. She leaned forward and closed her eyes.

Uryu pushed Ichigo out of the way and took Tatsuki by the back of the head and went for it.  He tilted his face over hers and kissed her firmly, and when she gasped in surprise he slipped her the tongue.

She did not mind.

They went at it for a bit.  Finally, Ichigo broke it up. “Ok, ok, It’s your call now, Ishida.  Or do you need a cold shower first?”

The room snickered.

“Ladies and gentlemen we need to step up our game. This boy is putting us to shame!” Keigo stated, pounding his fist on the table.

Uryu exhaled deeply and cleared his throat.  “Right, um, I chose Chad.”

Chad looked down at the top of the table and then reached out to give the bottle a flick. It spun quickly until it landed on Ulquiorra. The room felt like to was deathly quiet. “Um, what happens if I refuse?”

“Grow some balls, Chad,” Chizuru said.

“You could take off your shirt like Ich - I mean Kurosaki-kun did,” a helpful and rosy-cheeked Orihime suggested.

A smirk came over Ulquiorra’s face. He placed his hand on Orihime’s thigh and looked at Chad. What would it take to get his girlfriend riled up? “I don’t mind, honestly.”

“I’m just afraid of you killing me.”

“Bygones and all that. You didn’t lie with the statement you made. Orihime does have nice tits,” Ulquiorra said with a wave of his hand.

Uryu’s mouth fell open.

Orihime’s eyes narrowed.  She didn’t like to share.

Getting to his knees with a smile on his face, Ulquiorra leaned across the low table and grabbed Chad by the shirt, pulling the big man to him. Their mouths met quickly, with Ulquiorra running his free hand through Chad’s hair, before pulling away. He made a rude gesture at Ishida and sat back down.

Orihime was not impressed.

Chad was shocked. He hadn’t expected that… “Uh, I, uh...”  
  
“Maybe Chad needs a cold shower. He looks like he enjoyed that a bit too much,” Keigo said, rubbing his chin.

“Fine, smart ass. It’s your turn then,” Chad said in a grumpy tone.

Keigo spun the bottle. It landed on Tatsuki. “Awww man.”

“Wow, the bottle likes you,” Orihime interjected, a slight bitterness apparent.

The brunet whined. “I’ve kissed her a million times,” he said. “I’m taking my clothes off.” Without further words, Keigo took his shirt off and threw it at Tatsuki.

Orihime glared at Keigo.  “You could do a lot worse than Arisawa Tatsuki, Keigo!”

“I mean I have nothing against Tats but, it’s--It’s--”  
  
“Tatsuki likes to take control,” Chad said before draining the beer in his bottle.

Orihime raised her eyebrows and stood down.

“I believe it is your call, Asano-san,” Uryu said like a prick.

Keigo looked at Orihime and smiled. “Orihime! Truth or dare or the bottle?”

“Umm, dare!” she said with a fist pump.  She was slightly tipsy.

“Sit on Ichigo’s lap until someone calls on you again.”

Ulquiorra bristled immediately. “What?”

“I gave her the dare of sit on Ichigo’s lap until it was her turn again. She could always lose her shirt,” Keigo repeated, not realizing who had asked the question.

Tatsuki was grinning like an idiot.  She lived for shit like this.

Orihime was nervous, but still kind of pissed off at Ulquiorra for the unnecessary effort he put into kissing Chad.  “Ok, it’s just a game,” she said with a sweet smile. She climbed over Tatsuki’s lap and into Ichigo’s. “ _Yoroshiku onegaishimasu,”_  she said to him sweetly.  “I’m sorry I’m so fat.”

“Maiming him,” Ulquiorra muttered. So far he’d threatened bodily harm to all of her male friends.

“Your turn Orihime,” Chizuru said.

“Oh, right,” she said laughing nervously, before raising an eyebrow and tilting her head back to look at Ichigo for a second.  She looked back at Chizuru. “Chizuru, your turn.”

“Truth,” the woman blurted out. She was on her third beer and getting sleepy.

“Ok, how many lovers have you had?”

Chizuru hiccuped and looked at the redhead. “I’ve had 3 female lovers and 2 male lovers.”

Orihime was surprised to hear about the male lovers.  She pitched forward. Ichigo caught her around the waist and pulled her back into his lap.  He thought he was being discreet about it.

“Ok, you go Chizuru-chan,”

“Cifer.”  
  
“Hmmm?”  
  
“Truth or dare or the bottle, baka!” Chizuru said.

“I guess I’ll spin the bottle.” When the bottle landed on that four-eyed jerk, Ulquiorra immediately took off his t-shirt. He sat there, folding the piece of clothing before he looked at everyone in the room. “What?”  
  
“Cifer has a nice body,” Chad murmured.

“You’ve seen it before, Chad,” Orihime hissed.  

“Yeah but I was distracted. I mean we’ve seen both of you fucking and naked,” Chad stammered. It was clear that he was on the line between tipsy and drunk. “Ichigo, back me up on this.”

“You two watched us?” Ulquiorra asked.

Ichigo’s eyes widened and his grip on Orihime’s waist tightened unconsciously.  “Um, yeah, I’d say I was pretty distracted at the time, so...”

Chad’s face flushed. “You left the door open.”

“I pick Orihime,” Ulquiorra snapped, rolling his eyes at the Mexican.

She made no move to get off of Ichigo’s lap, completely thrown by the news that she and Ulquiorra’s first love-making was before a live studio audience.  Absently, she said, “truth…”

“Have you ever fucked Kurosaki?” Ulquiorra asked. He knew he told her to have fun, but this was ridiculous! It was too much to see another man put his hands on her.

Her eyes snapped to his.  She looked offended at the question.  She scoffed and crossed her arms in front of herself, peeling off her shirt and letting her bare back fall against Ichigo’s equally bare chest.  They both shivered at the contact.

Ulquiorra’s eyes went wide. Everyone at the low table had eyes on the woman. This wasn’t how this was supposed to play out. Orihime was just supposed to say yes or not. He wasn’t going to get mad. “Your turn,” he said quietly.

She narrowed her eyes. “Ulquiorra, truth dare or bottle.”

Uryu sighed.  Of course this had turned into a lover’s spat.

“Dare,” he said.

“Ok,” she said.  “I dare you to come over here and give me a kiss.”

Teeth raked over his bottom lip. This woman didn’t realize what she was asking. Ulquiorra got up and walked over to where Kurosaki was sitting. He motioned for Orihime to stand up and then took her place in Kurosaki’s lap. Pulling the redhead down into his own lap, Ulquiorra kissed her deeply, running his tongue against hers. His hands slid against the outer curves of her breasts.

He could feel the firmness under his ass. This was weird but he was on the cusp of being drunk and probably wouldn’t remember this the next morning.

Ichigo was stunned.  His eyes bulged out of their sockets as he watched his love interest and her boyfriend make out in his lap.  Both of them were _very_ attractive people.  Everyone in the room was silent, eyes transfixed on what was happening on the end of the table where Ichigo sat.

Ichigo had had a semi since Orihime had taken a seat in his lap, but this was all too much for him.  Ulquiorra shifted in his lap and he had to bite back a groan.

Ulquiorra’s mouth went to Orihime’s ear. “Kiss him,” he whispered while he worked his teeth against her earlobe gently.

Orihime’s inhibitions had fallen away due to the alcohol, and she was just riding out this moment, the words he had spoken had not triggered any kind of warning in her mind.  She straddled Ulquiorra and, with one hand on his shoulder, raised herself up so that her breasts were in Ulquiorra’s face and her face was near Ichigo’s. With her free hand, she cupped Ichigo’s jaw.  She smiled at him.

His eyes widened and he gulped.

She took inspiration from Ulquiorra’s earlier performance with Chad and slid her fingers into Ichigo’s hair and to the back of his head.  Still smiling, she pulled his mouth to hers. She hummed at the contact and at the attention Ulquiorra was paying her chest.

Ichigo’s mind was on fire, and his previously passive stance quickly turned aggressive.  One of his hands snaked around both Ulquiorra and Orihime and he pulled at the skin of her back as he plunged his tongue into her mouth.

A hand of pale fingers wormed under Orihime’s bra. The other one sought out Kurosaki’s hand. He put it on Orihime’s tit, the one he wasn’t teasing. Then Uryu cleared his throat. Chad coughed. Keigo drooled watching the display and Chizuru had passed out, slumped onto the table. Tatsuki looked unimpressed.

Orihime moaned.  It was not a sweet, innocent little moan, either.  It was a strangled, wanton moan. The room gasped at the noise, not expecting sweet, innocent little Inoue Orihime to make such an obscene sound.

That brought her attention to the present.  She jerked out of Ulquiorra’s and Ichigo’s clutches and covered herself with her arms.

She was there and then she wasn’t. Ulquiorra looked up at redhead who didn’t look happy. Then he realized where he was sitting. He scrambled to get out of the “fuckwad’s” lap. He didn’t look at anyone, keeping his eyes glued to his thighs.

“So,” Keigo said in a drunken slur. “Who’s up for another round?”  
  
“Uh, I think we’ve all had enough, Keigo.” Chad said in return.

“Yeah, I think I’m going to head over to my mom’s,” Tatsuki said, standing and walking to the door.

Uryu did not move nor speak, his eyes still glued to Orihime’s breasts; boner raging.  He had a strategic pillow on his lap. When Tatsuki made for the door, he tore his eyes away from Orihime and asked, “Do you want me to walk you home?”

She raised an eyebrow at him.  “Sure, you can meet my mom. She might be asleep already though so you might have to wait until morning,” she said with a wink.

No one had ever seen Uryu move faster than he did to get to the door.

Chad hauled Keigo to his feet and placed him on the couch since he was almost asleep. “I’m going to stay down here with him,” the big man said.

“Orihime and I can find a taxi to a hotel,” Ulquiorra said quietly.

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair.  “No, you guys go ahead and take my room.  I can stay in my dad’s or on a cot in the clinic. There are plenty of beds in there if you need one, Chad.”

Was Kurosaki stupid? He had to be. Of course, he could be in deep shit with Orihime over that stunt he pulled. The green eyed man stood and picked up his t-shirt. “O?”

“Yeah, let’s just go to bed,” she said, dropping her arms.  Everyone in the room who was awake had already seen her naked and fucking anyway.

Ichigo hissed as his dick pressed against his zipper painfully.  Orihime’s eyes snapped to his and saw him staring at her.

Ulquiorra walked over to Orihime, and rubbed her arm. He quietly murmured, “We could invite him...” He trailed off not knowing how to finish that statement. Maybe he should just shut up; the alcohol was clouding his judgement.  
  
Chad broke the silence. “Are we just going to let Chizuru drool all over the table?”

***

  
The next morning was horribly awkward. Ulquiorra avoided everyone’s gaze. He knew they had to have heard Orihime last night. They had to have heard the bed squeaking. After Chad asked about the loud mouth drunken woman who had passed out, Ulquiorra gave one last look at Kurosaki before he dragged Orihime upstairs to the bedroom that they were going to use.

He had ripped her bra off. He would have to buy her a new one. It was mostly an afterthought as he kissed and licked her chest. The moans he elicited from her throat were a heady drug as he felt her flesh under his fingers. He positioned Orihime so that one of his legs were between hers. If she wanted to she could apply friction to herself to ramp things up. Ulquiorra lifted the skirt she was wearing to see a pink pair of French lace panties.  
  
“You know if you wanted to we could let--Kurosaki and you… you could have fucked. I would have watched,” he murmured into her chest, his mouth finding his way upward to Orihime’s neck then back down.

“You say that now,” she panted.  “I think tomorrow you’d be singing a different,” she paused to gasp as he took a nipple into his mouth, “tune.”

Ulquiorra chuckled as he felt around for the skirt’s fastenings. “You know me so well, Woman. I’m going to fuck you on his bed. Hard.”

She purred. “What are you waiting for?” as his fingers raked her skirt down her hips and he kissed his way back up to her mouth.  She sucked his tongue into her mouth and curled her own around it as she began to slide her hips across the surface of this thigh.

He loved when Orihime got like this. She was demanding and knew what she wanted. Ulquiorra got off on it sometimes. “Maybe I want to tease you a bit,” he said to her after breaking their kiss. “I just wanted to drag you off after you sat on his lap.”

“Oh?  What stopped you?”  she asked in a teasing lilt, backing away from him a step and sitting on Ichigo’s bed.

“I didn’t want to seem like a jealous asshole,” Ulquiorra said as he walked towards her, stripping off his jeans in the process. “Why’d you take the shirt off Orihime? Did you want me to just grab you and fuck you in front of your friends?”

Orihime raised a playful brow at him.  “You read me better than Poe, Ulquiorra.”  She grabbed his hips and steadied his forward motion.  “You really ought to know that I like my men possessive,”  again she teased, but there was a hint of sincerity to her soft murmuring.  She brought her mouth to his navel and kissed it, then looked up at his face without moving from the spot.  “You shouldn’t offer to give me away so easily.” She kissed a spot a bit lower.

His teeth sank into his lower lip. Her mouth kept going lower and lower, until Ulquiorra stopped her. “O, you don’t have to,” he said cupping her face. They’d had several discussions about giving him head and he did not want to pressure her into anything. Ulquiorra figured Ginjo was a demanding dick and wanted his dick sucked all the time. The German man didn’t want to make Orihime feel like she was obligated. “I can go down on you if you want me to.”

“Would you rather I asked Kurosaki if he wanted my mouth on him?  Because I am sucking somebody’s dick tonight.” She licked her lips and waited for a response.

The growl that left him sounded almost like it came from an animal. He threaded his hands into her long red hair. “Careful or you’re gonna get spanked for sassing me,” he said. “I am the only one who gets to put his dick in you.”

She hummed and said, “That’s what I like to hear.”  Then her fingers were at the waistband of his boxers pulling them down in a quick, practiced movement.  She smiled as his cock twitched in her direction, and she grabbed it by the base. “Do you want to finish in my mouth or inside of me?” she asked, completely serious.

Ulquiorra's breathing hitched. This was better than that night that they got drunk with Kurosaki and Chad. He had to get her drunk more often. Orihime being tipsy was fun. She seemed to turn into a vixen when slightly intoxicated. “Which do you want more? ”

“Well, if you taste anywhere near as good as that ice cream did in Yonezawa you won’t have a choice,” she smirked.

The memory assaulted his brain, and he moaned. All he could see now was how her tongue lapped at the spoon and pulled on Orihime's lips — the way her tongue twisted around the metal. He shivered. Ulquiorra could see what he wanted. He could hear what she wanted. He bent over and kissed Orihime’s mouth. “I want to feel your mouth on me,” he said to her.

Orihime didn’t make him suffer any more.  She thought of herself as a benevolent person.  She kissed the tip of his cock, stroking the shaft up from the base where her other hand remained.  Then she paused to look up at him again. He was staring at her with his lips parted.

“Like what you see, sailor?” she teased.  He didn’t look like he was capable of an intelligent response.  She smiled and looked back down at his now wet head and brought her lips over it.  She first just used them to get a lay of the landscape, her sensitive mouth making a mental map of his crown.  When her lips reached the base of the head, she stopped and used her tongue to sweep around it inside of her mouth, tasting the soft skin and the slightly bitter tang at the top.  Then she slowly pulled back until the whole of it fell out of her mouth with a quiet ‘pop’. She took a moment to look up at him again as she let her hand continue to stroke him and the other hand cupped his balls.

“So far so good?  I’m not hurting you, am I?”  she asked sweetly.

She wanted to ask questions now? How was he supposed to respond when there was absolutely no blood left in his brain. This woman… Ulquiorra never had much experience with women doing this. Two of his former lovers had refused flat out, Nel had been the one who did it a handful of times. Orihime was better than Nel at sucking dick. She had been slow and calibrating her moves to his response. She looked so innocent doing it too; Ulquiorra had to bite back a groan. “You’re doing fine, Baby,” he managed to say in a ragged voice.

She smiled and licked her lips, then kissed the tip of his head again and hummed with her lips on it.  She pulled back for a moment again and said, “Good,” before taking him into her mouth again, this time deeper.  She covered him until his member hit the roof of her mouth and then she pulled back slowly, allowing just the smallest bit of contact with her top teeth.  Her tongue bathed the base of his cock as she brought her head back up, then she repeated the motion. The entire while her hands massaged the base and his testicles.  She continued in this way for a bit, sometimes alternating which side of his shaft to put her tongue, and always allowing a kiss or a lap with the flat of her tongue on his head when he came out of her mouth.  

After several minutes of this her breathing began to grow ragged, and she released him from her mouth and began to pump on him with her hands, kissing and licking the tip only.  She could feel that he was nearing his release. “Where do you want it?” she asked.

“If you don’t take off those underwear, I’m going to rip them off,” Ulquiorra said. He looked down at his woman with an insane hunger in his eyes. “I’m going to fuck you. I’m going to make you scream and when I’m done. I’m going to do it all over again until you cum.”

Orihime leaned back and whimpered. This is what she had been waiting for all night.  She didn’t want anything to do with the carrot top downstairs. She wanted Ulquiorra to _claim her_.  She shimmied herself out of those lace panties as fast as she could.

Ulquiorra kicked his boxers off his legs and soon he was in between Orihime’s thighs, lining his cock up to enter her. He was slow about it, knowing how she would whine and make a fuss over this. As soon as he bottomed out, he kissed her gently. “Are you ready? You might want to hold onto something.”

Her eyes widened, apprehension showing through.  She slowly reached up and grabbed his shoulders.

His pale hands brought her ankles to his shoulders. If he was going to fuck her properly, he had to do it right. Ulquiorra straightened his body so that Orihime’s hips were elevated off the bed. He could feel her feet pressing into his shoulders, egging him; urging him to do whatever he was going to do. Then he moved his hips, snapping into her body forcefully. He kept going, changing his angle every couple of strokes. When he felt confident that this was a good position, he brought his fingers down to her clit, brushing against the wet skin. Orihime wasn’t making nearly enough noise for him to be satisfied. “Say my name, Orihime. Who is fucking you right now?”

She was already panting and gasping uncontrollably.  How did he expect her to form words? “You…” she gasped as he thrust again.  “You are,” she whined.

“What’s my name, Baby? Say it.”

“Ulquiorra,” she whimpered, her fingertips biting into the skin of his shoulders.

He continued his hard and fast pace, leaning over her, so he went deeper into her. God, she was fucking tight. He was having a hard time trying to hold back. “I can’t hear you Orihime. No one will touch you. Your body is mine. Fuck. O, tell me. I want to hear it.”

She shivered uncontrollably at his words, his unforgiving thrusts only driving his point home more completely.  “Ulquiorra,” she gasped. “Ulquiorra!” she called out. “Ulquiorra, I’m gonna…” her legs started to tremble and her walls fluttered wildly around him.  Her head thrashed on Ichigo’s pillow as she wailed a tortured cry as her release enveloped Ulquiorra.

She had tightened around him. It felt like he was in a vice. He groaned loudly, not bothering to stifle the noise. Fuck Chad. Fuck Kurosaki. This was his woman. Ulquiorra felt himself coming inside Orihime. One last twitch ran through his body then he fell on top on her. “Fuck, woman. Please tell me you came because I’m going to need a minute to get the feeling back in my legs.” He gave a small chuckle as he propped himself up to look down at her. “I love you, O. I would never offer you to anyone.”

She gave him a lazy smile and said, “I think the evidence may be all over your numb legs, let me find something to clean you up,” and giggled.  She was so overstimulated that she couldn’t stop grinning like a moron.

“Fuck it,” Ulquiorra said before sliding off of her and holding Orihime close. “Let’s get some sleep. We can take a shower together in the morning.”

She hummed her agreement and held on to his arms as they wrapped over her abdomen.  “Although I would like to point out that it was me who didn’t allow myself to partake.  You were so down with it.”

“The defending party would like to point out that you seemed just as eager to indulge until you realized we were in front of everyone.” Ulquiorra motioned for Orihime to roll over. “Tell me the truth, love, if no one else had been there, would you have? ”

“Never in a million years.”  She was dead serious.

Ulquiorra nodded. “If that is what you’re telling me, then I trust you, completely. It’s just you seemed into it just as much as me. I would never share you with anyone. I just put on that show of kissing Chad. I don’t even know why I did it. It wasn’t a good kiss.”

“I should hope not!” she chastised.  “I was jealous! I don’t want to share you with anyone else either…” she trailed off, feeling small. “I only took my shirt off to try to get some payback.  Then you told me to kiss him and I didn’t know what to do, but the way you said it sounded so sexy… I knew it was a mistake though as soon as it happened. I should have ignored you.”

“Shhh, it’s okay. I’m an idiot,” he whispered to her. “I just--”

“Just what, Babe?” she sounded worried.

“I told you to have fun and I went back on what I said.” Ulquiorra sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “I shouldn’t get jealous of your friends.”

Orihime smiled and traced a heart onto his chest absentmindedly.  “I would like to enter Exhibit A into the record,” she said, gently grabbing his flaccid member and then moving to his slick legs, “and Exhibits B and C.  They speak for themselves. I need no further closing arguments. I had fun. And I _want_ you to be jealous about that kind of thing.  Otherwise, how would I know if you love me?”

She watched too many legal dramas on TV.

Ulquiorra kissed her on the lips. “Are we good? No more petty squabbles?”

“I can’t promise anything about squabbling but we are better than good,” she answered, kissing him back.  “So, do you wanna get some ice cream after this, or-” she looked at him with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

“Only if I get to watch you lick the spoon,” he replied.

“Oh, ok.  I thought you wanted to _be_ the spoon.  I mean that’s what all that was about before.  No matter. Live and learn, they say. Next time I’ll stick to spoons.” She couldn’t help tease him.  He wasn’t going to comment on her performance at all? Come on! She laughed to herself.

Ulquiorra didn’t like her teasing. It made him want to hold her down and screw her again until she was having multiple orgasms. “I’m going to say this once,” he said in a serious tone, looking at her. “If you’re going to tease me by licking ice cream off a spoon, I’m going to take it away from you and replace it with my cock.”

“So you did like it, then?”

He was going to have to tell her. The thought of saying Nel’s name to her did not sit well with him. “Orihime, you suck dick better than Nel. Don’t get mad but that’s saying something. I didn’t ask you how I ranked after you came on my face.”

She rolled her eyes.  “Whatever,” she said good-naturedly.  It was for his benefit. She didn’t want to make him more agitated by admitting that him bringing up Nel made her feel shitty.  “I don’t have any basis for comparison anyway.”

Ulquiorra looked at Orihime, tilting his head. His expression was shocked, bafflement, and then confusion. “You mean… I was the first guy to do that to you?”

She nodded.  It was true. Ginjo never even got close.  He barely touched her down there with his fingers much less his mouth.

“Remind me when we get our own place in Fukuoka, to do that to you every day.”

She gave him a lopsided smile.  “Ok, I will,” she paused to yawn, then kissed the tip of his nose.  “I love you.”

“Love you too. Go to sleep.” Ulquiorra grabbed the blanket that was at the foot of the bed and covered both of them with it.

“Good night, love,” she said softly.  She would not sleep well that night. 


	28. A Cascade of Bullshit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JKR and I would like to apologize.

After spending the rest of Kurosaki’s spring break in Karakura, the four flew back to the southern island of Kyushu to the city of Fukuoka. He was amazed at how much more colorful the city was compared to the often dreary and dull shades of Yonezawa. The cherry blossoms in this city were charming, according to the pictures; they had already come and gone that year.  He could remember last April when he was exploring the northern city when he spotted pink cherry blossoms and a red bridge. It looked almost poetic.

 

Here though in their new home, the buildings were colorful. The people were bright with color and smiles. The atmosphere was less gloomy; fewer memories to torture the couple. It made Ulquiorra worry. That night in Kurosaki’s bedroom… They had used Kurosaki as a catalyst to make their sex life more interesting. Then he mentioned Nel; the entire thing weighed heavily in his thoughts.

 

What if he wasn’t over Nel like he thought? He was still continually comparing Nel to Orihime. The conniving bitch wasn’t worth the brain cells it took to think about her, but she was always there in the back of his mind. Her phone calls; her texts; her words… they wormed into his brain, and he made an effort to rid himself of that slow-acting poison, but it kept getting worse.

 

Especially since they had no place to stay yet, they were sleeping in Kurosaki’s apartment on the floor for a few days until they could find a home. The first one they looked at suited Ulquiorra’s tastes just fine until he asked how much they were asking for rent. He had heard Orihime gasp, and he looked at her questioningly.

 

“What? This place is fine,” he stated.

 

She obviously had a problem with the price. It was too much for them. He waved a hand, but after crunching the numbers, Orihime was absolutely correct. His pay had gone down by coming to Fukuoka. There was no guarantee that he would be able to supplement his income. He had nearly tripled his pay with the number of students he tutored in Yonezawa.

 

Orihime had only managed to procure a part-time retail job at a competing hobby store chain.  She was allowed to teach art classes, but only on a voluntary basis. If she were able to create enough demand for her classes, they would consider paying her, they said, but otherwise it wasn’t considered a job responsibility for her.  She had been looking around for extra work too. She had an interview lined up at a convenience store, but it was for a third shift position; something that Ulquiorra had shown a strong aversion toward.

 

Then there was the matter of her and Ulquiorra’s relationship.  Since that night in Karakura, she had grown more and more withdrawn.  Ulquiorra didn’t seem to notice; he seemed too wrapped up in moving and setting up house and getting used to his new job.  She didn’t blame him for that, but she still could not find it in herself to be excited about finding a new place. She felt the ghost of Ulquiorra’s ex everywhere.

 

When he expressed interest in this expensive place, she had quickly shot it down.  But she had shot everything they had seen the day before down, too. She was just not comfortable considering an apartment that one of them would not eventually be able to afford on his or her own.  Her gnawing insecurities would not let her forget that it was the only practical thing to do, given Ulquiorra’s undying fascination with this “Nel” character and his eagerness to pass her off to Ichigo in Karakura.

 

So they looked at another apartment. This one was too small; One room with a bath and a loft. Ulquiorra immediately nixed the idea. It was the next apartment he looked over with his girlfriend that gave him pause, and he waited for Orihime’s reaction. He liked the place. It was light and airy and had a certain charm to it. He pulled the real estate agent to the side where Orihime couldn’t hear to discuss the details.  


After the basics were laid down, Ulquiorra found Orihime in one of the rooms standing there. “What do you think?” he asked, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

 

She sighed.  “This place is beautiful.  It’s comfortable,” she didn’t want to say what was on her mind.   _“It’s too good for me.”_

 

“Mmmm,” he murmured. “I think it would be a solid investment. It has enough room in case my parents were to visit or if Arisawa wanted to come down here. ”

 

This caught her off guard.  She never expected for him to consider buying a place. How would they divvy up costs that way?  It would be more complicated, she imagined, because then would he be her landlord? Still, she had to smile.  It was considerate for him to think about visitors and to put his assets to work for their mutual benefit. “You’re considering buying this place?” she finally asked.

 

He nodded. “We need a place to stay once we’re married,” Ulquiorra replied. He walked over to the redhead and looked down at her. “You’re different, Miss Inoue. What happened?”

 

There were tears in her eyes.  “Once we’re married? Ulquiorra, we’re not even engaged,” she sighed.  This wasn’t the time or the place to talk about that. “That’s not the issue though, well, I guess it kind of is.  I don’t know. I mean, if you can afford this place on your own and want it as an investment, that’s fine. I’d support you.  We’d just have to figure out a fair arrangement.”

 

“I’m sorry,” he said, bewildered at her words. Ulquiorra’s brow furrowed as he stared at Orihime. “I do not understand you. Are you telling me that you don’t want to be together or you don’t want to get married? There’s no need for an arrangement if we’re both profiting off this.”

 

Orihime sighed and found his eyes.  “Why would you conclude that _I_ don’t want to be together or that _I_ don’t want to get married?  As for my second question, why do you assume that I think that offer is on the table?  We have only spoken about it in vague terms until now, but that’s it. It would be presumptuous of me to assume that that is the inevitable track we are on, and it would be infinitely more presumptuous of me to think that you would foot the bill for a lavish lifestyle that I could never afford on my own,” she paused and sighed, turning to look out the window.  

 

Something had gone wrong. Something had changed. He struggled to find words that would make sense. “I’m not concluding that you are. That’s what it just sounded like. I just want to take care of you,” Ulquiorra said. “Why is that such a problem?”

 

She smiled at him at him, but her eyes were sad.  “I love you,” was all she said before she looked back out the window.  “It’s not a problem if that is how you really feel. I don’t know if it’s because of all the change with moving, or the stress of staying with Kurosaki-kun, but I just feel kind of insecure right now.”  She refused to admit what was really troubling her. It would make it too real.

 

Her words said one thing. Her eyes said another. Her body language said something totally different. Ulquiorra studied his girlfriend, wanting to walk around her and contemplate Orihime like a work of art. He’d fucked up somewhere. He was on par with Ginjo now with how many times he’d fucked up in their relationship. This is why he didn’t want to start anything with her. Ulquiorra knew this would happen. “If you want to split costs and everything, that’s fine. This place has two bedrooms; we’d each have our own space.”

 

She turned around with a hurt expression on her face.  “What are you saying?”

 

“Orihime, face it. You’ve been different since the entire thing with Ginjo. Something’s wrong. Maybe I’m making assumptions or whatever,” Ulquiorra said, folding his arms over his chest. “I love you, but you’ve been keeping me at arm's length away since then. You never talk about it; maybe you should find someone to talk to.”

 

Her brows furrowed.  She couldn’t believe he was blaming this on Ginjo.  It had nothing to do with him, as awful an excuse for a human being as he may be.  “This has nothing to do with the thing with Ginjo. It has everything to do with you,” she hissed.  She didn’t want the realtor hearing them argue. “For a while, I thought you were over it, but you just cannot stop.  No matter what happens, you can’t let it go.”

 

He gave her a stern look. “I let the Ginjo thing go. I never blamed you for that. What can I not stop? What do you think I can’t let go?”

 

She sighed, and her shoulders fell.  He was going to make her say it. She was afraid to do it.  She was afraid that if she did, it would be the beginning of the end for them.  She blew out a breath. “Her.”

 

That one word. Her. Nel. Orihime was having some complex problem because she had to push an issue. He nodded his head. “I see,” Ulquiorra said quietly. “I think I’m going to buy this place. You’re more than welcome to stay here with me.”

 

She didn’t say anything.  His attitude was just salt in her wound.  She didn’t want to be around a stranger and fall to pieces; she would wait until she was alone without a realtor to do that.  Her face was not quite as good at hiding her emotions as she thought she was capable, though. The heat in her cheeks and the swelling of her eyelids were going to give her away.

 

He saw it. He just chose to ignore it. He turned from Orihime to go speak to the man who was standing in the other room. This was something they would have to deal with when it was just them with no audience around. Ulquiorra had done a lot to get over dealing with the abuse Ginjo had dealt to Orihime. He had opened his home and heart to a stranger; let her worm her way into his life. It was hard for him to do. She needed to get over the Nel thing. Orihime needed to stop relying on past experiences to shape her way in life.

 

This was supposed to be a new start for them, but it didn’t seem like that was going to be the case. Ulquiorra told the realtor he wanted to purchase the apartment, and when the man slightly bowed, the green-eyed man looked back at Orihime. It looked like she was still trying hard not to cry. He was an asshole. He wasn’t perfect though and had a lot of flaws. Maybe this was an opportunity for him to start over fresh. No, he wanted to be with Orihime. He didn’t want to break up with her.

 

***

 

They arrived back at Kurosaki’s apartment after a quiet but awkward lunch. Ulquiorra didn’t want to talk about their problems in public. He didn’t want to put Orihime through that. “O,” he said in a soft voice.

 

“Hmm?” she replied, equally soft.  She melted when he called her by that nickname.  It didn’t ease her fears, though.

 

Ulquiorra swallowed his doubts. Their relationship was a piece of glass hanging by a thread, ready to drop at any time and shatter below into tiny pieces too small to put together how it was. He hugged her, squeezing her tightly before kissing the top of her head. “I love you,” he whispered to her.

 

She hugged him back.  She wasn’t going to let go until he pulled away.  It seemed to her that this was the entirety of their relationship summed up in a single action.  He gave a little; she gave her all, then he pulled away. It was a pattern. She didn’t know how to break it, or if she even could.

 

She nodded when he told her he loved her but couldn’t say anything; her throat was too tight.  She was sure he could hear her sputtering and trying not to cry like a baby. She couldn’t help it though.  She was aching on the inside. All the comparisons to Nel, all the times he would bring her up at inappropriate moments;  it all just screamed to her that she was second fiddle, and Nel had been the one who got away.

 

She hated being the one who loved him more, but she was not going to let go until he pushed her away.  She knew that it wasn’t even an option for her. She would follow him to the ends of the earth. She owed him her life, but that wasn’t why.  She truly loved him. She didn’t know why he couldn’t feel the same way; why he would let a ghost come between them.

 

She was at his mercy.

 

Well, at least she returned the hug. She couldn’t be that mad at Ulquiorra. This was frustrating that she couldn’t see how over Nel he was; how much the woman didn’t matter. Ulquiorra felt like he was giving his all while Orihime skirted around subjects. Ulquiorra knew that was a damn lie. He was the emotionally closeted one. The redhead had shown more emotion when they had conversed by letters instead of face to face. Then again, he had done the same. Things had changed when they met by accident.

 

Once their identities were revealed, things morphed into a tentative and hopeful friendship. The entire dynamic had changed once they gave into the physical temptation of each other’s bodies. The night on that mountaintop road had begun this whole spiral downward. Ulquiorra knew one wrong word could tear apart this entire thing.

 

If Orihime wanted a proper marriage proposal, she was going to get one. He’d do it in public. He’d find a ring or whatever and he’d get down on one knee with music playing in the background while they were at some cheesy romantic place for dinner. He’d declare his undying love to her.

 

Then again there was that one issue nagging at him. Was he still hung up on Nel? No, he was totally over the teal-haired woman. She had betrayed him. She had entertained the attention of two men who made themselves available to her… The faces of Kurosaki and Chad flashed into his brain and how they looked at Orihime. 

  
It was very much how Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and Bazzard Black had looked at Nel, lavishing attention upon her. She had eaten it up too. He shook his head. Orihime was nothing like the high maintenance, gold-digging Nelliel. Orihime wouldn’t need to go to someone else to get attention, not when she had Ulquiorra’s.

 

“I’ve got to get to Chad’s gym--workplace--Wherever he works. I promised him I’d work out with him a couple of times a week,” he told her, tilting her face up. Ulquiorra could see the pain in her eyes. It made him frown. “I promise to be better.”

 

She blinked.  “Ok,” she said in a shaky voice.  “I love you,” she said again, burying her face into his chest and refusing to let go of Ulquiorra, despite him saying he had to go.  She just couldn’t shake the feeling that things were changing, and not for the better. Maybe it was her hormones. Orihime had been spotting a bit over the past couple of days.  Perhaps one of her sporadic periods was going to make an appearance. She nodded into his chest. That had to be it. She was being overly emotional because of hormones. She exhaled, feeling somewhat relieved at this realization.  She pulled back and smiled at him with an improved expression. “ _Ittarasshai,_ ”  she said and kissed his lips softly.

 

He didn’t know what was going on in Orihime’s head, but he was happy at the change. He had a few minutes. He didn’t need to work out right away. “Since no one is here, can I...” Ulquiorra trailed off and let his hands drop down to her ass. “Or too soon?”

 

She smirked, then her face fell.  “Actually, now may not be ideal...female issues…”

 

“Oh, it’s fine. Whenever it gets cleared up, let me know.” He kissed her without another word then grabbed the bag by the door. “I’ll be back in a bit, all hot and sweaty.”

 

She giggled at that and gave him a coy smile.  “Go before I change my mind.”

 

He didn’t realize he left his phone on the table that day. He didn’t mean to leave it there. Ulquiorra didn’t know that Nel was going to start her shit again. He was almost to where Chad worked when he realized he didn’t have the device.

 

Orihime had nothing but time on her hands.  Her job only gave her two or three shifts a week.  So far she had no one sign up for the art classes she had offered.   She sighed. She had left her car up in Yonezawa with Urahara for the time being - she wasn’t sure if she was going to need it down here - so it wasn’t like she could go drive around exploring.  She decided to do some housekeeping. Yeah, it wasn’t hers and Ulquiorra’s place, but she could be a gracious guest.

 

She finished up the dishes from the night before and started cleaning the mirror and sink out when she heard a cell phone chime.  It was Ulquiorra’s. She sighed. It wasn’t like him to forget it. He must have been more upset than he had let on. She ignored the phone and continued cleaning.

  
It chimed again and again as she finished scrubbing out the toilet.  It was starting to irritate her. Who would be so obnoxious?

 

Then the phone started to ring.  Again she ignored it, too busy scrubbing the tiles to get up and check who it was.  It rang again about two minutes later. She growled out loud in the empty apartment.  She was about to go stuff the phone deep into a bag or something when it occurred to her, what if it was someone from Ulquiorra’s new job?  What if it was important? She started to get nervous. She paced the living room, weighing the idea of checking his caller i.d. The phone rang for at least the tenth time.  She decided the hell with it and answered.

 

“ _Moshi Moshi?  Cifer Ulquiorra no denwa desu.”_

 

“Hallo? Ulquiorra? Wer ist das? Wo ist Ulquiorra?” the voice was obviously female. It was sweet sounding.

 

Orihime wondered if it was perhaps his mother.  Had something happened? Was his father alright?  She had to know.

 

“Um, I’m sorry, I don’t speak German. Do you speak English? Is something the matter?”

 

“Oh gods, I know who you are. Where is Ulquiorra? Why are you answering his phone? Does he know you have it?” Nel was angry. She knew who answered the phone, _that bitch_. “Did you steal his phone?”

 

Orihime was shocked at the ire being directed toward her.  She wasn’t sure if this was his mother, but the thought that it might be and the idea that she had upset her somehow terrified her.  “I’m sorry, he’s not home. He left his phone here on accident, and it has been ringing so insistently, I worried that something was the matter, so I picked up.”

 

The German woman snorted. “You’re so rude that you’d answer someone’s phone without their permission? Let me tell you something, _schmutzige Hure,_ Ulquiorra never lets anyone touch his phone. I’ve been calling him because I need to talk to him. This is Nelliel.”

 

Orihime’s blood ran cold instantly.  She sunk to her knees, and her eyes widened.  This is exactly what she had feared. Her voice trembled as she spoke, “Would you like me to take a message?”

 

“Yes,” Nel said in a sickly sweet voice. After a few moments of silence, and no answer from the other female voice, she decided to continue. “Hallo? Dumme Japanische Frau, bist du da? Wo Zum Teufel ist Mein Mann? Oh right, you don’t know German. Tell Ulqui I miss him and our phone calls. We can’t _talk_ much since he left Germany and found that whore.”

 

Robotically, Orihime reached for the notepad on the table and began to jot down what Nel was saying.   She didn’t leave anything out, whispering softly what she was writing as she wrote it. “Anything else?” she asked.

 

“Hmmm, tell him to check his text messages later tonight for a picture from me,” Nel chirped. She was happy because whoever was on the other line sounded absolutely miserable. “So who are you that you know how to unlock his phone?”

 

“It was unlocked.  My name is Orihime; I’m his girlfriend.”  She was speaking robotically too.

 

“You’re the girlfriend? Ha!” Nel found that hard to believe. Ulquiorra would never get over Nel. She had him wrapped around her fingers. “Funny he’s never mentioned you all the times he’s talked to me.”

 

“Never?” she asked it out loud although she was not directing the question toward Nel.  Then she thought of one she did want to ask. “When are all these times he’s been talking to you?”

 

Hee! This was just getting so good. Nel could pile on the lies. This _thing_ would break it off between her and her former boyfriend. Ulquiorra would be heartbroken and come back to Germany. It was a perfect plan. “I don’t know he usually calls me from a different number,” she said in mock innocence. “Maybe he has a phone you don’t know about. But he’s constantly telling me all kinds of stuff about you, like how you’re so awkward at things and he has to explain.”

 

At that moment, the door to the apartment opened.   It was Ichigo. He saw Orihime sitting with her legs splayed out behind her wearing an apron and holding Ulquiorra’s phone, looking completely devastated.  He marched over to her and took the device out of her hand and barked, “Who the hell is this?”

 

“Who the fuck are you? Where’s the whore? I was talking to her,” Nel immediately snapped at the hostile voice.

 

“ _Listen here you bitch_ ,” he snapped right back.  “I don’t know who the hell you are, but _nobody_ talks to my friend that way!”

 

“Verpiss Dich, du blödes Japanisches Arschloch!” Nel said before she ended the call. Shit. This was bad. Maybe Ulquiorra wouldn’t find out that she called but that new voice sounded scary.

 

Ichigo looked down at the phone and saw that the call had indeed disconnected.  He scrolled through the call log and saw who it was. “Nel,” he said aloud. He closed the call app and saw that the messaging app had 18 new messages.  He scowled first, then opened it.

 

A vein on his forehead started to throb as he swiped from one raunchy photo to the next: a close up of a vagina, a photo of a male and a female having sex, a woman with teal-colored hair looking into a mirror and touching herself, more nudes, and messages written in German.  The last text though was in English. “Come back home.”

 

Ichigo was furious.  He threw the phone into the sofa cushions and knelt beside Orihime. “Hey, are you alright?” he asked, knowing what the answer would be.

 

She started to sob.  She covered her face with her hands and broke. Ichigo put an unsteady hand on her shoulder and tried awkwardly to comfort her, but as far as she was concerned, he wasn’t even there.  Nothing existed but betrayal.

 

When Ulquiorra walked in with Chad later that evening, he noticed the tension in the apartment. The big man and the German had walked to the real estate place so that Ulquiorra could sign some papers and pick up the keys for Orihime and his new apartment. It made them a bit late.

 

It shouldn’t have triggered the response that it did. The atmosphere was cold as Ichigo dragged Chad off. He could hear them talking in Japanese in an angry manner. Ulquiorra looked around for Orihime. If she wasn’t in the living room, she was either taking a bath or… Could she be in Chad or Kurosaki’s bedroom? No, maybe she went to the market or a shop. She took a walk.

 

He would text Orihime, tell her he was back. He wanted to give her the news that everything had gone through and they had their own place. Then he remembered, he’d either lost it or left it here. There wasn’t anything to worry about. He left his phone unlocked all the time because he was showing Orihime that Ulquiorra trusted her and that he had nothing to hide.

 

“Has anyone seen my phone?” he called out.  


 

The silence that followed his question was like death had settled over the space. Then came the loudest tirade of obscenities that Ulquiorra ever heard from Kurosaki’s mouth. It seemed like every other word was _baka._

 

It was Chad who answered. The man who he’d built up a camaraderie with had an angry expression. “It’s on the couch, Cifer.”

 

Ulquiorra nodded his head, aware that things had changed. What exactly he had no idea. It wasn’t until he picked up the phone and pressed the circle down at the bottom that it hit him. Photos of Nel splashed across the screen. He went to the call log and saw that the woman had phoned over twenty-two times and there was even a call that had gone on for a good seven minutes.

 

 _Someone_ had talked to Nel.

 

Someone had _talked_ to Nel.

 

He ran his free hand through his hair, grabbing at the roots and pulling. Who had answered the phone? When Ulquiorra looked up, he saw the murderous expression that Kurosaki had on his face. 

  
Oh.

 

 _Oh_.

 

 _Ohhh_.

 

Orihime. His mouth opened and closed to say something but nothing would come out, and even if he managed words, he was pretty sure that Kurosaki would go ballistic and either beat the shit out of him or throw him off the small balcony. He gave a defeated sigh.

 

No one showed him to the door, but Ulquiorra walked over to it, slipped his shoes back on then grabbed his suitcase and messenger bag. Without a word, he walked out of Kurosaki’s apartment, shutting the door as softly as he could.


	29. A World Of Hurt

The first night inside that empty apartment was cold. It was chilling. It hurt. He had found the nearest place to buy alcohol and several bottles littered the floor. The beer was having no effect on him, only making the memories of Orihime stronger. He wanted them to fade away.   
  
Tomorrow he was going to buy a new phone. He was going to get his number changed. Nel would no longer be a problem after that. How could she be a problem if she couldn’t contact Ulquiorra?

 

It was killing him though.

 

What was said during that conversation?

 

What lies had Nel spewed to infect Orihime’s head?

 

Knowing his former girlfriend they weren’t anything good. Nel could be sweet as candy and just as destructive; forming holes and decay. He had seen her work her magic on several people, including himself.

 

The next day after waking up on the floor with a bitching headache, Ulquiorra found the nearest place to buy pens and paper. It was all cutesy stuff. He finally found something that would suit him. A stormy grayish-blue pack with darker gray lines. Ulquiorra bought it and several pens. He stumbled back to his home.

 

His. New. Home.

 

Not their. New. Home.

 

The thought twisted a knife in his chest. If he yanked it out, his blood would pour onto these pages and he’d bleed to death. Stupid emotions. Stupid fucking feelings. As soon as he cleared the genken and the entrance hall, Ulquiorra threw the bag with his new purchases in it beside the collection of bottles sitting near the wall.

 

The noise was too loud as the glass bottles clanked and tinged as they fell. He threw his phone against the wall not even caring if it broke. Why was Nel so intent on ruining his life? Why did she have to persist with this? She was the one who broke his heart. She was the one who discarded him like a dirty pair of socks, throwing him to the side when a new pair came along. He’d done everything to cater to Nel’s whims and fancies. He bought her whatever she wanted. Ulquiorra had gone along with whatever plan she had in mind. He’d given his all in the relationship he had with Nel. Look where it got him.

 

What if he’d done the same to Orihime? What if he’d ignored or blocked Nel’s number? What if instead of trying to get in Orihime’s pants, he’d taken the time to get to know her. Would they be in this sinking boat?

 

He didn’t go to work that day. He didn’t go to work until the next week, calling in sick. His new boss was not impressed. Then his performance at work wasn’t the most stellar. He would just sit and stare, looking at the cracked screen of his phone, waiting for word from Kurosaki; from Chad; from Orihime. From any one of them, he would have taken the beratings, the yelling, the accusations and the anger over the silence.

 

April faded away into May. He had gotten his belongings out of storage, swiping the copy of Nonsense Songs from one of Orihime’s boxes. He had the basic necessities but something was missing. He had his bed with the familiar scent of himself and the redhead on it. He had his black leather chair which looked so out of place in the bright living room. He had his desk so that he could write letters to her.

 

Often times, Ulquiorra would grab some beer or whatever alcohol was on sale after work. He’d drink it and pass out. He barely ate. Ulquiorra wouldn’t talk to anyone. He wouldn’t answer his phone. He wouldn’t reply to any texts. He was barely functioning as a person. The motions were robotic and it showed.

 

His father called and in a mind-numbing drunken haze, Ulquiorra answered it. “Hello?” he mumbled.

 

“Ulquiorra?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Are you drunk?” Mikhail said.  
  
“Yeah.”

 

A heavy sigh, “You’ve not answered my email or other correspondence concerning the news I’ve brought you.”

 

“Don’t care,” Ulquiorra answered dejectedly.  
  
“Really? From what it sounds like you’re about to lose your job because your teaching is sub-par. This is not the person I know who loves teaching,” his father replied. “Do I need to come to Japan and yank your head out of your ass?”

 

“Don’t care,” the younger man said. It was true. Ulquiorra didn’t care. Orihime wasn’t around so what was there to care about? He’d gone to Chad’s workplace and asked him to give her a note. The big man nodded and then ignored him. Ulquiorra left and stumbled back home.

 

“Ulquiorra Alaric Cifer!”

 

The use of his full name brought his attention back to his father’s voice. “What?” he snapped.

 

“There is an associate of mine that teaches at Fukuoka University,” his father said. “He said there is a professor assistant position opening. You could teach English, German, Biology...”

 

The man trailed off waiting for a response when he didn’t have one the older Cifer continued speaking. “You could start soon. ”

 

Ulquiorra sighed. “I don’t want your shitty privileged jobs. I told you I can make it on my own.”

 

“Right because needing nine million yen--”

 

“Father.”

 

“You never did tell me what you bought with that,” Mikhail said.

 

A person, Ulquiorra thought. He had bought a person with that money. Giving a rude snort, he took another swig from the bottle in his hand. “Doesn’t matter. I lost it.”

 

“How do you lose something worth nine million yen, Ulquiorra?”

 

“It wasn’t mine to keep, Vati.”

 

“Are you going to explain what happened Ulquiorra? Why did you have fourteen million yen wired out of your account?”

 

“I bought an apartment for my future wife,” he said sarcastically.

 

“You got engaged!” His father sounded angry.

 

“Almost,” he said to his father.

 

There was some grumbling in the background. “Almost? What happened?”  
  
“Nel happened.”

 

The next week, Ulquiorra didn’t feel like drinking. He didn’t feel like writing Orihime another letter that would go unread. He stopped by the place where Chad worked, mostly sober this time. He looked at the man and nodded. "How is she?" Ulquiorra asked.

 

"Inoue?"

 

"Yeah."

 

Chad sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as if he were uncomfortable. “Inoue is Inoue. She uh, she cries, a lot. She thinks she’s putting on this bravado but we can, um, hear her at night.”

 

“Have you been giving her my letters?” Ulquiorra asked.

 

“Mostly. Ichigo--”

 

“What would Kurosaki do to them?!”

 

“Cifer, don’t get pissy with me because you got caught. You don’t get to blame anyone but yourself.”

 

Got caught? What the hell did he ever get caught doing? Nothing. He did nothing. “I still don’t know what started this entire thing, Chad.”

 

Chad rocked back on his heels and shrugged. “Ichigo told me that Nel called and she was talking to Orihime. There’s a notepad that no one has touched but it has a message from Nel on it to you. Orihime wrote the message down. Nel said some nasty things to her; called her a whore and something else. Ichigo couldn’t get more than mumbles from Orihime.”

 

Ulquiorra swallowed. His chest felt uncomfortably tight like he’d ran several kilometers at a breakneck speed. “Anything else?”  
  
“Do you have another phone? Have you ever badmouthed Orihime to Nel?” Chad asked.

 

“What? No! I only have one phone and I’ve broken the screen,” Ulquiorra replied. “I would never badmouth Orihime to anyone. If anything I’ve done nothing but praise her to anyone I’ve told about our--the relationship we had. Not like I talk about it much anymore.”

 

“Maybe you should come by and talk to her?”  
  
The green-eyed man laughed. He simply barked out laughter in a way that made it clear he thought that was the funniest thing ever in a sarcastic way. “Why? So she can slam the door in my face? No thank you. I’m waiting for her to forgive me for whatever transgressions--”   
  
“Then you’re going to lose her.”

 

“I beg your pardon?”

 

“Ichigo can swoop in. I could even do it. If you’re going to be stupid and just sit on your ass, someone else will sweep her off her feet,” Chad said before stomping off.

 

Ulquiorra walked home in the dark. He looked around the living area once he got there and flopped down in his chair. Maybe if sent her a text.

 

She didn’t want to hear from him.

 

He had to try though.

 

He bit his lip, letting his teeth worry the skin. Ulquiorra just stared at the shattered surface of the phone. He willed it to light up. Using the side of his thumb, he unlocked the phone and went to his text messages. There were texts from Nnoitra, Szayel, Zommari and Yammy. Nel’s text message stared back at him. Those eighteen texts Nel had sent that night destroyed his relationship with Orihime but still, he couldn’t help taking glances at the images. Then there were Orihime’s texts. There were pictures and messages that could make him hard in less than two minutes. Nel’s images were just disgusting and crude. Orihime’s were tasteful and teasing.

 

With a sneer, he deleted Nel’s messages and blocked her number. He would not let that psychopathic bitch affect him any longer. He should have done it after the first fight they had about Nel. He should have done it the night of the Snow Lantern Festival. He should have done it the moment he left Germany. Ulquiorra should have never tried to be friends with Nel.

 

So he picked up his phone and he tapped out a message to Orihime.

 

_\- Lauren Aquilina - Forest Fires. I love you, Inoue Orihime._

 

He put the phone to the side and then went to take a shower. He didn’t worry about the message. Ulquiorra’s phone didn’t beep. It didn’t chime. There was no buzzing or vibration that signaled he had a text message. He went on with life which hurt more.

  
In order to deal with this pain, he did something incredibly stupid.

 

***

 

He was unhappy with this arrangement. He wanted Orihime back in his life. He was miserable, so much more miserable than the first time they had fought. This despondency was an entirely new level of depressing. One day, a week after he sent the text to Orihime, Ulquiorra decided he was done with it. He needed to get his head on straight. He needed to figure out what he was going to do.

 

Ulquiorra bought a laptop. He’d been studying Japanese every day since he physically met Orihime. He knew he could read it. He could write it but speaking it was still a shaky endeavor. He set up the laptop in his native language after watching some videos online. It was relatively easy once he understood what the people were talking about. He logged into his email and responded to his father’s associate.

 

There was a teaching position open for three classes. Unless Ulquiorra was confident in his Japanese, he could only consider two of them; the English course and the German course. The pay was a vast improvement from what he was receiving now. Also, college kids would pay to have him teach them multiple languages. Being multilingual looked good on resumes and probably impressed most Japanese.

 

Of course, there were emails from Nel since she couldn’t call him. He sent every letter to the trash and deleted them forever without opening them. He didn’t want to hear from her. She had destroyed his life twice over and that was enough for him. Ulquiorra even blocked her email. He blocked her on anything she would have access to. It felt good to rid himself of that human parasite.

 

He still wanted Orihime around. He wanted his O. He wanted his Pussycat and not for any perverted reasons. He hated waking up without her. Ulquiorra hated eating without hearing about her day. He hated not being able to see her smile or hear her laugh.

 

When he found out that he got the job, he quit his current teaching job. The pay was shit and frankly, his boss was a dickhead. That was another weight lifted off his chest.

 

Orihime was constantly on his mind. Missing her was horrible. He decided to do something.

 

He took Chad’s advice.

 

***

 

Orihime wanted to die.

 

The next week, she wanted to die.

 

The week after was the same.

 

She lost track of time and events.  She had been fired early on. She just never showed up to work.  She couldn’t eat. She couldn’t sleep. She rarely showered or brushed her hair.   Everything reminded her of him; specifically, everything reminded her of his absence.

  
She couldn’t bring herself to throw away the message she had taken from Nel.  She needed it to remind her. She still couldn’t believe what that woman had told her.  She had lived with Ulquiorra for months. How could he have carried on behind her back like Nel said?  The only evidence she had of his betrayal was that message and the fact that he left her.

 

Those were the only two things that stopped her from screaming his name every other breath.  

 

Ichigo and Chad had been nothing but kind and accommodating.   Ichigo worried about her and tried to cheer her up, to no avail.  Chad offered to sleep in the living room or the floor of Ichigo’s room, which she refused.   Ichigo offered for her to sleep in his room with him, which she also refused. In the end, she had fallen asleep one night and woke up in Chad’s room.  It was her room from that morning onward.

 

A few days after Ulquiorra had left, she heard Ichigo and Chad arguing in the kitchen.  She came out of ‘her’ room and kept herself concealed on the other side of the wall, but heard every word.  Ulquiorra had written to her. Chad wanted to give the letter to her but Ichigo refused. He didn’t want to see her hurt any more than she already was.  He didn’t want that asshole to get the last word. Chad had argued that it wasn’t their choice, that Orihime should decide. Ichigo overruled him though and threw the letter in the trash.  That night Orihime fished the letter out of the wastebasket and brought it to her room.

 

It made no sense.

 

It wasn’t his regular, clean handwriting.  It was shaky and messy. He had to have been emotional when he wrote it.  The words seemed to be song lyrics. She looked them up -- her impression was correct.  It was a song called _Broken Strings_ by James Morrison.  She looked up the rest of the lyrics.  She was only made more confused. The lyrics spoke of heartache that comes when someone doesn’t give their all in a relationship and then eventually falling out of love little by little as the parties separate.  Why would he bother to write this out to her? To once again rub salt in her wounds? She had not expected such cruelty out of him. She threw that letter into her own wastebasket. The next day she retrieved it and put it with the message from Nel.

 

More letters came, and Ichigo fought each one of them; at least the ones he knew about.  He really was trying to be her champion. She appreciated him for that. He wasn’t giving up on her.  Neither was Chad, but Chad was Chad; a silent presence, while often comforting, is still silent. Ichigo tried to get her to get out of the apartment, go for a walk, take a shower, do something nice for herself.  She always apologized. He always let her.

 

She did a lot of diving into the trash bin that week.

 

All the letters were similar.  Sloppy. Nonsensical. Non-apologies.  Once again it felt like he was lashing out at her.  Like before, she knew she didn’t deserve it. Like before, she couldn’t forgive herself for it.  She was unable to capture his heart the way Nel had. She would never hold a candle to her.

 

The next time a letter came and she overheard Ichigo and Chad talking about it, and subsequently throwing it in the garbage, she didn’t bother retrieving it. She was sure it would be another attempt by him to assuage his guilt if he had any.  Maybe he just wanted to hurt her. Maybe he resented her for getting between him and Nel. She didn’t know. She would never know. It wasn’t worth trying to figure out or agonizing over while trying to read between his scribbled lines for meaning that wasn’t there.

 

After the third week, she started to feel disgusted with herself. She showered.  She got dressed. She went outside. Ichigo met her at the front door and smiled at her kindly, offering to take her out to breakfast.  She agreed.

 

He talked to her about normal things; how his sisters were and how his clinicals were going.  He mentioned that he had heard of an opportunity at the hospital that she might be interested in.  She agreed to check it out.

 

She met with a woman in the rehabilitative therapy section of the hospital and chatted about her past experiences as an art class instructor.  The two women hit it off and Orihime was offered the position of Art Therapist Assistant. She herself would not be an art therapist, but she would provide support and help design and implement activities for the actual therapist.  She was proud of herself.

 

Then there was her hormonal shift.  She had felt it when they first moved to Fukuoka, when Ulquiorra was still staying with her and Ichigo and Chad.  She had had some light spotting then and thought perhaps she would be getting one of her rare periods. It never came then, but now she could feel something different.  Her breasts were sore. The spotting was more frequent. She felt a random cramp in her belly now and then and she was less patient with Ichigo and Chad. She knew this period was going to be a big one.  

 

Then the text message came.  She did not understand. He loved her?  He didn’t blame her, according to the lyrics of the song he sent.  It was contradictory to the letters she had received before. She was more confused than ever.  She did not respond. She had been too hurt and too broken; she had finally clawed her way out of that pit - well not all the way out, but enough to see a bit of light - and she didn’t want to go back down.  If she responded, she knew that was exactly where she would go. All the way back to the bottom.

 

***

 

In his hands was the copy of Nonsense Songs he had bought for her, dotted with letters that he had written to her while sober, apologizing to her over and over. He explained that he was done with Nel. He told Orihime that he had always been faithful to her. Ulquiorra loved Orihime and would never say anything that would paint the woman in a bad light.

 

In his pocket was a simple white sapphire ring that he planned on giving her. If he was going to propose, the time was now. He knew it was stupid but Ulquiorra’s brain seemed to leave him the moment O wrote that first letter to him.

 

This entire thing could go two ways. Orihime could forgive him for being the biggest asshole in history or she could say it was over between them. She could say that she was with Kurosaki, but Chad had assured him that wasn’t the case. The other man told him that Orihime was still keeping everyone at an arm’s length away, just in case she had a breakdown.  
  
“She doesn’t want to be a burden to anyone,” Ulquiorra finished for him. Chad confirmed this. He confided in Ulquiorra that Orihime had always been that way, ever since her brother died.

 

He took a deep breath, and with a shaking hand, he knocked on the door. Four short raps.

 

Ichigo opened it.  He looked at Ulquiorra and slammed the door in his face.

 

Chad raised his eyebrows at his friend’s actions. “Is it that bad?” He asked Ichigo from where he stood behind him. He had no clue who was at the door. Ichigo hadn’t opened the door that wide.

 

“Just the NHK guy.  I told him we already paid,” Ichigo responded, stomping off to his and Chad’s room.  He knew he couldn’t stop this trainwreck but he didn’t want to see it happen.

 

Chad’s eyes slid to the door when there were four more raps. With a heavy sigh, because he knew this was a bad idea, he opened the door. His brown eyes went wide seeing Cifer standing there looking rather offended. “Uh, you work for NHK now?”  
  
“What? No. What’s that?” Ulquiorra asked. “May I come in? I need to speak to Orihime.”   
  
Opening the door wider, Chad let the German man inside the apartment. “Nothing, nevermind. Orihime’s not here,” he said. “She might be at work or out. Not really sure. Hey, Ichigo!”

 

“It’s fine.” Ulquiorra felt deflated upon hearing this news. His hand wasn’t quite steady as he passed the book to the other man. “Uh, this was in my belongings and it’s hers. Make sure she gets it, please. It meant a lot to her.”

 

He nodded and Chad’s floppy hair followed the motion. “I can give it to her--”

  
“This is something Kurosaki cannot police or lord over. _This is hers_ . Not something I’m trying to pass to Orihime from me,” Ulquiorra stated.   
  
That was it.  Ichigo heard what the green-eyed bastard was saying in the next room.  How dare he insinuate that he was manipulating Orihime. He was just helping her!  The sliding door to his and Chad’s room slammed open. His head of cropped orange hair was acting as a beacon, scanning the room until he found him.  That rat bastard. Standing in _his_ living room, trying to weasel his way back into _her_ life, and then having the audacity to say what he did.  It was an outrage.

 

Ichigo stomped over to where Ulquiorra stood and growled,  “What are you trying to do, Cifer?”

 

“I am merely returning Miss Inoue’s property to her, Kurosaki,” came the answer. Ulquiorra’s green eyes narrowed at the what the other man’s words were insinuating. “I am up to nothing. It wouldn’t be right to keep it.”

 

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at Ulquiorra and then at the book in Chad’s hands.  “Fine. I’ll be sure she _gets it._  You should get out of here before she sees you.  You don’t get to come in here and make her lose all the progress she’s made.  I won’t let you.”

 

Chad looked at Ichigo and then Cifer. He switched to Japanese so the German couldn’t figure out what he was saying. “Ichigo, I think we should give this to her. It’s not for us to withhold her property. It might help. I mean we don’t know anything about this book or when Orihime got it. It could be something Sora got her.”

 

Ichigo’s eyebrow twitched, and much to the surprise of the others in the room, he pressed his hands into his eyes, wiped them and sniffed.  His voice cracked as he addressed both of them in English, “I just can’t watch her go through that _again._ I don’t want to see her go another day without eating or showering.  I don’t want to be kept up at night to the sound of her sobbing. It’s killing me.”

 

He looked away from the orange-haired man. While he didn’t know what Chad had said, Ulquiorra could hear the emotion in the man’s voice.  Slowly, he nodded. “I hope she finds happiness with you Kurosaki. You won’t hear from me again,” he stated before turning around and opening the door. After stepping out into the hall, Ulquiorra shut the door and started walking towards the stairs. He didn’t expect to make eye contact with anyone, especially a redhead with dark eyes.

 

She stopped in her tracks three steps below him.  Her eyes widened but she made no other indication that she saw him.  She was dressed for work in a skirt and blouse, but she didn’t look that great.  Everything was just a little too big. Her hair was not as shiny as it once was. The bags under her eyes couldn’t be hidden by the make-up she wore.  She was still broken.

 

Seeing Ulquiorra standing before her felt like seeing a ghost.  She was frozen.

 

Great. This was perfect. Kurosaki was going to kill him. Taking a deep breath, Ulquiorra took in her appearance. She looked like she’d walked through hell and back again. He was positive that he didn’t look that great. Alcohol and coffee wasn’t the world’s smartest diet plan. Sleeping four hours a night wasn’t that good for the dark shadows under his eyes or the gaunt look of his face and body. It didn’t matter.

 

She was going to be happy with Kurosaki. All he had done since striking up a conversation with her was to try to hurt and lash out at her. Ulquiorra cleared his throat and stared at Orihime. “Miss Inoue, um, your copy of Nonsense Songs ended up in my belongings. I’ve returned it.”

 

He didn’t want to talk to her but he felt like he should explain why he was there. It seemed like the right thing to do. He gave her a nod then Ulquiorra began to walk down the stairs. He didn’t want to walk away from her but Kurosaki was right. He didn’t get to come into her life again; not when he fucked it up time and time again.

 

As he passed, a small, trembling hand caught his sleeve.

 

She didn’t know why she did it.  She couldn’t even see through the screen of tears coating the surface of her eyes.  She couldn’t breathe for fear that she would catch his scent and be cast back into the depths of hell.  But she couldn’t let him go, either. Not like that.

 

When she stopped him he didn’t move. He stood there almost beside her. Ulquiorra swallowed. This was painful. This took him right back to the middle of April when he walked out of that apartment without her. “O,” he said in a questioning manner and turned his head to look at her. He wanted to grab her and plead with her to forgive him but nothing else came out.

 

She said nothing.  The grip on his sleeve tightened.  Her breathing became heavy. She concentrated on it.  She held onto the sleeve and counted her breaths. One… Two… Three… Four… Five.  She let go.

 

His eyes burned. Watching her fingers let go of his shirt just made his heart break more. The ring in his pocket was useless. Those letters carefully penned by the eloquent U. C. were garbage. Ulquiorra’s breath was ragged and he nodded. “Congratulations,” he said quietly before running down the rest of the stairs. He didn’t stop until he was at the street.

 

The distance did nothing to muffle the pained wail he heard coming from the stairwell. He knew that sound would haunt his dreams and nightmares.

  
Orihime sunk back down into the pit.  She was on her hands and knees, still on the stairs, when Ichigo and Chad found her minutes later.

 

Chad grabbed one side of Orihime, hauling her to her feet while Ichigo grabbed the other. It didn’t take much for them both to walk her the rest of the way to the apartment. This breakdown was completely different than the ones before. What the hell had Cifer done to her? Chad wondered. He was about to put Orihime on the couch when he saw blood dripping onto the floor. He turned his head and looked at the path they walked into the apartment. A trail of red followed them.

  
“Uh, Ichigo?”

 

Ichigo may have been a medical student, but he was not an OBGYN and he was not used to dealing with personal medical emergencies.  All he knew was that she was hemorrhaging from between her legs, heavily. He. Freaked. Out.

 

“Orihime, look at me.  Look at me!” he shouted.  She did, but her eyes were barely open and she was pale.

  
“Chad, we have to get her to the hospital,” he paused and grit his teeth.  “You might want to call Cifer.”

 

“Why do we need to call Cifer? She’s dying! You can’t lose that much blood and live!” Chad’s voice was frantic as he looked around for something. “You’re a doctor, can’t you do something? Get a towel or a bandage?”

 

“Chad, do you know how to deliver a baby or help a woman having a miscarriage?  Because I sure the fuck don’t yet! Those are the only reasons I know of to see this kind of blood loss.  We have to get her to the hospital _now._ ”  Ichigo grabbed her under the arms and started to pull.

 

He started freaking out more. “Uh okay. Wait, what? What do you mean to deliver a baby? What? I don’t--” Chad shook his head. “Okay, if we carry her to the hospital it’s faster than waiting for an ambulance, right? Also cheaper. So, Ichigo, you call whoever while we walk or run.”

 

Ichigo nodded and helped secure Orihime into Chad’s arms while he looked around frantically for his phone.  Chad was already halfway down the stairs with her when he finally found it and slammed the apartment door closed behind him, not bothering to lock it.

 

When they were clear of the building, Ichigo scrolled through his contacts quickly until he got to Ulquiorra’s name.  Despite the acid threatening to make him lose his stomach contents, Ichigo pressed the call button.


	30. Not Mine

_Ring_

_Ring_

"C’mon, Fuckwad!  Answer the damn phone!” Ichigo called out, frantic.

Ulquiorra stared down at his phone with a look of disdain. Already Kurosaki was calling him. What a knight in shining armor on a pure white fucking unicorn, he thought as he answered the call, rolling his eyes. “I am sorry Kurosaki,” Ulquiorra snapped. “All I told her was congratulations.”

“Shut the fuck up Cifer and get to the hospital.  NOW. Drop whatever dumbass shit you are doing and go.  You may not have much time.” The terror in his voice was raw.

“I’m walking home, you moron. What do you mean? What’s going on? Is Orihime alright?” He stopped in the middle of the pavement waiting for an answer. “Kurosaki, is Orihime alright? What happened to her?”

Ichigo was panting on the other end of the line and did not respond right away; trying to keep up with Chad and speak on the phone and keep his emotions from rendering him useless was making it difficult for him to speak.  After a long delay, he said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with her for sure, but I think she’s having a miscarriage. We’re taking her to the hospital right now.”

What had Kurosaki said? Ulquiorra wasn’t sure he heard him right. The man sounded distraught. The green-eyed man was sure this wasn’t a practical joke. “Mis--miscarriage? Orihime--What? She--”

He couldn’t find the words. Nothing was making sense. He rarely cried. It was a cold day in hell when he did. For the second time that night, tears threatened to spill out of his eyes and they burned. “O… this… no… ” He had to be in absolute denial about this. It was impossible. Orihime… She hadn’t been able to take her pills when she was taken by Ginjo. They had made love numerous times before she had started taking them again. “Which hospital?” Ulquiorra finally asked.

“Kyushu University!”  was all he yelled. He left the line open just in case the woman’s former lover had any other stupid questions.

“Okay, I’ll meet you there. Is Orihime okay? Is she breathing? She tends to hyperventilate,” Ulquiorra was babbling as he started walking in the direction he had come from; he passed the hospital just a few minutes ago.

“Jesus, Cifer.  I know that! Just move your ass!”  Ichigo ended the call and ran ahead of Chad.

Ulquiorra got lost on his way to the hospital. He ran inside the emergency department doors, panting for breath. It was hard to think and remember where things were located when all he could think about was that the love of his life could be pregnant and was possibly dying. He looked around for Chad and Ichigo.

Chad was sitting there waiting for him. He stood up and Ulquiorra looked at him in horror. “What--Is she--Is that?” Ulquiorra couldn’t form a coherent sentence. There was just so much blood on the front of Chad’s shirt and because it was a white shirt, it showed up rather vividly. The German man collapsed to his knees, lip quivering. They weren't even together and Orihime had this effect on him. This was his responsibility. He had caused this. How the fuck could he do this?

He rocked back and forth trying to comprehend what was going on until the big man lifted him. Ulquiorra shrank back from the touch. “Is she dead?” he asked. Things were finally clicking into place.

“No,” Chad answered. “Ichigo’s in with her right now.”

“Why did I need to come?”

Ulquiorra did not expect to be slammed against the wall of the corridor. He looked up at Chad, who looked downright wrathful.

“Why did _you_ need to come? Are you a _fucking idiot_ , Cifer? You got Orihime pregnant. You cheated on her. You destroyed her and then expected a damn book to smooth it all over? What did you say to her? What did you do to Orihime?” Chad snapped as he got into the other man’s face. “This is your problem. It’s not mine and it’s not Ichigo’s but I can guarantee he’ll make it his problem when she pulls through.”

Ulquiorra swallowed, suddenly a bit afraid of the quiet, brooding man. Chad always seemed like a gentle giant, but now he seemed like an angry bull waiting for a matador to wave that red cape. As soon as Ulquiorra did, Chad was going to charge.  
  
“Do I make myself clear? Don’t ask why you needed to come. Orihime is your responsibility.”

He nodded, “Crystal clear.”

Chad let him go, and they walked through a door and into a room where Ichigo sat. From Chad’s perspective, Ichigo looked upset, but his eyes were full of ire. “Cifer’s here,” he said.

Ichigo raised his brows just enough to make eye contact with Chad without moving his head, which was resting on his clasped hands.  “Yeah,” was all he said as he stood and began to walk out toward the main waiting area. As he was about to pass Ulquiorra, he stopped, shoulder to shoulder, and warned him, “You better pray she lives.”

Ulquiorra’s eyes went to Orihime laying in that bed. He gave Kurosaki a nod without looking at him. He’d be praying to every deity known to men around the world. He wasn’t religious himself, but he knew he was going to put faith in some higher power for that woman to pull through this. She had to pull through this.

As Chad and Kurosaki left, Ulquiorra sat in the chair the orange haired man vacated. He regarded Orihime with a worried expression. Had he caused this? Had he made her so upset and stressed her out that her body rejected another life? He shook his head.

This wasn’t his fault. This was all Nel's fault. Orihime was suffering because of that teal-haired bitch.  He was suffering because of her.

He grabbed her hand that was free of needles and IV lines and held onto it, threading their fingers together. Ulquiorra just wanted her to be okay. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted to see her smile again and not look so hollow and lifeless. They had too much history in such a short amount of time. It could be fixed. He could be a better person; a better man.

Looking down at their joined hands, Ulquiorra used his free hand to dig through the pockets of his jeans. He found that small ring box and brought it out. It wouldn’t count if he asked while she was asleep… passed out… in a coma… or whatever… Maybe it was easier this way. Orihime wouldn’t be able to refuse the gift. She wouldn’t be able to deny it. She wouldn’t be able to throw it back into his face.

Ulquiorra opened the ring box and took out the ring and then slipped it onto her left ring finger. It was a simple white gold band with a small white sapphire. Then he kissed her knuckles, one by one. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he closed his eyes. Their entire relationship was a mess. If he were a betting man, he would put money the fact that Orihime probably wished she never wrote that first letter. She probably wished she never had any contact with him.

In the famous words of Robert Frost, Ulquiorra was looking at two roads. He was the bat carved into the pea-green boat, helping navigate as the cat sailed away. He was Roderick Usher in his most desperate hour. He could ride this out and treat Orihime how she deserved to be treated. He could love her and give all that he could to their relationship. He could quit being a walking fucking contradiction.  
  
Down the other path lay a future without her. A future where she fell in love with Ichigo Kurosaki, and they had a gaggle of orange-headed brats. A future where he was miserable and probably would go to the most isolated place in the world to live out his days until the elements killed him.

He could fight. He could run.

What would he choose? All he could think about was that stupid song.

 

_'Cause I can only tell you what I know_

_That I need you in my life_

 

The fucking lyrics to the first song she recommended to him. It had plagued him for months on end, playing over and over in his brain. Those two lines had made him believe that he had a future with Orihime although at that time he didn’t even know her. She had been absolutely right that he was lonely. She had pinned him down exactly with just his notes scattered through a book of short stories.

Kurosaki could go fuck himself.

Ulquiorra wasn’t going to let Nel have her way.

He was going to fight for his woman.

He would bare his teeth and soul to keep her.

 

***

 

They drew blood from Orihime and did some other tests on her. Ulquiorra sat by her side watching the nurses work over his girlfriend--no, his ex-girlfriend. She was no longer his. Orihime had moved onto Kurosaki which was well within her right to do so. After all, he had walked out on her without an explanation.

Chad brought him some coffee. Ulquiorra already emailed his new boss to inform him of the situation. He’d gotten a reply only minutes later which he had to translate from Japanese into English. His boss told him that was fine since his actual job wouldn’t start until sometime in July; Ulquiorra had time to kill. Eventually, they moved Orihime into a room, and he continued to sit with her.

The doctors and nurses ignored him. Someone came into asking questions, Ulquiorra sat there mute. He didn’t know the answers to the questions. Chad or Ichigo would be better suited to answer them.

It was shocking when one of the doctors actually spoke English to him. Then Ulquiorra realized that the female was talking to him, like a person instead of a fixture in the room. “I’m going to assume that you’re Inoue’s husband, you’ve not left her side.”

“I’m n--”

“Menorrhagia is what happened to her. It’s--”

“Its a term for heavy or abnormal bleeding during a period, I know,” Ulquiorra said. His father was a doctor. His mother a scientist. They had schooled him until he was a nearly an expert on the human body and its maladies.

“Mister--?”

“Cifer.”

The young doctor nodded. “Mister Cifer, there are several possible reasons why this happened. Many things can cause it to occur, and we’re not sure why it happened to Ms. Inoue. It could have been because of a hormone imbalance; dysfunctional ovaries; pregnancy complications, medications, birth control--especially if women use IUDs.”  
  
“Was she--Is she pregnant?”

“No, none of the blood tests came up positive for pregnancy. Do you know the last date of your wife’s cycle? Maybe when she was irrational or a bit--”  
  
Ulquiorra looked at this doctor and wondered where the hell she got her degree. This woman was stupid. Then he glanced down at Orihime’s hand with the ring on it. He could see where people would make that mistake. She wasn’t his wife. Orihime was just someone he loved very much and could never have. “Um no. We never discussed that stuff,” he said uncomfortably.  
  
“Did you two use any contraceptives?”

A sigh left him. This conversation was becoming exasperating. “Orihime… she went a couple of weeks without taking her pill, and when we decided to move, she started retaking them. Is she going to be okay?”

The doctor explained that this was just a rare but normal period for people on the type of birth control pills that Orihime used. The longer between the cycles, the worse the period would be. Ulquiorra understood all of this. At one time before he became a teacher, he was a pre-med student.

“We're going to do several more tests on her when she wakes up. I would also like to discuss with you two about adjusting her dose if you two aren’t ready to start a family,” the doctor commented before leaving the room.

Ulquiorra wanted to laugh in the woman’s face. Start a family? They needed a relationship to start a family! They needed to be madly in love with each other for him to even consider it. So far, he knew he was madly in love with the redhead.

Not even an hour later, he felt a squeeze. That gave him hope. Ulquiorra turned his head quickly towards the woman. “O? Orihime?”

There was some quiet murmuring, but she didn’t open her eyes.  The stress of the last month and what had happened that morning had caught up to her.  She needed rest. Still, it had sounded like she had said his name.

The pale man stood and leaned over Orihime, kissing her forehead. “Orihime? Baby?”

Her eyebrows furrowed and her lip wobbled, then her face relaxed.  “Hmm?”

He could have cried when he heard that murmur of a word. It wasn’t much, but it was a response. Ulquiorra squeezed her hand. “O, can you hear me?” he asked.

She merely breathed out a sigh, but her fingers tightened around his for a moment.  She was listening.

It was now or never. This wasn’t part of his plan but it was sink or swim and right now, and Ulquiorra was barely treading water. “Okay, well, Kurosaki told me to come to the hospital. I got lost but I’ve not left your side since you’ve been in here. I love you. I don’t know what happened that day but I love you. It’s okay if you don’t want me back. I understand that you’re happier with Kurosaki. I completely understand that. I just want you to know I love you and you’re the only woman I want.”

He had to take a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Forgive me, please. I will do anything you want if you will forgive me. You don’t have to take me back but just… If I’m upsetting you, I can leave. Kurosaki is here, he can sit with you. I don’t even deserve to be here.”

His voice wavered, but Ulquiorra had to keep going. “I want you in my life. I want you to be my spouse; my partner. I want to marry you. I want to have kids with you. I want to name one of them Delilah Cifer, just like it was written on that piece of paper that I have. Please, Inoue Orihime, marry me.”

Tears streamed from her closed eyes.  She couldn’t answer right away. There were too many unanswered questions.  Too much hurt to mend. But, throughout this past month -- no. Throughout the entirety of their knowing each other, one truth stood out to her above all others.

She opened her eyes and whispered, “I don’t want to live without you.”

Green eyes met dark ones and Ulquiorra brushed a tear away from Orihime’s cheek. He sniffled, trying to blink back his own tears at her words. It didn’t help and he had to stand up to keep from crying on the woman. He used his free hand to scrub at his face to erase the evidence of his emotions. Once he was satisfied that he wasn’t going to turn into a sobbing mess, Ulquiorra kissed her forehead again then sat back down. “We are going to have to talk, I know. We can be friends and move on from there if you want.”

She just nodded.  Despite the truth of her statement, she was wary.  Nothing had changed except that Ulquiorra had come back to her.  Still, and against her better judgment, she felt overwhelming relief.  A small smile played on her lips. “Thank you for coming back,” she said in a little voice.

“Orihime, I would do anything for you. I would--I would walk the Earth to find you. I would spend any amount of money to keep you safe. I would sacrifice my own life for yours,” Ulquiorra replied, studying her pale face. “Anything, my woman.”

Her face looked troubled.  This wasn’t the best timing, but she couldn’t reconcile the feelings she was having without knowing.  “Even her?”

Her? Who the hell was Orihime talking about--Oh, Nel. The teal-haired twit. “Fuck that bitch. She’s a cunt. She’s trash and so beneath you. I’m not giving her another thought after this. That crazy psychopathic bitch is a liar; a compulsive liar. There is no _her_. There’s only you, Orihime. I don’t have room for anyone else in my life.”

Orihime closed her eyes. This was the beginning.  She needed to hear him say those words. She would give him time to prove them true, but she needed this declaration.  She squeezed his hand again.

Then she felt it.

A puzzled expression appeared on her face, and she lifted their joined hands slightly.  A small flash, a new weight on her finger. “What is…?”

“It’s a promise to you.”

She wasn’t stupid.  She had an idea what it meant, and Ulquiorra had just asked her to marry him, but she didn’t want anything to remain unasked or unanswered between them from this point onward.  “Which promise, exactly? I don’t want any more misunderstandings.”

“The one where I promise to love you until my dying day. The one where I promise to love only you for the rest of my life. The promise to make you as happy as I can,” Ulquiorra said. He knew this was risky, but he leaned forward and brushed his mouth against Orihime’s. “I’ll wait for as long as it takes to prove it to you.”

She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him back down for another kiss.  She was understandably afraid that this, like the times before, was a fleeting moment.  She didn’t want to let it go.

Letting go of her hand, he cupped her face. Ulquiorra didn’t want to stop kissing her. How many days had it been since he felt this? His hands slid down her face to her neck, fingers tangling in her red hair. This wasn’t the right time or the right place for this and he did the right thing and pulled back. “Orihime,” he whispered putting his forehead against hers. “The doctors are going to come back in later. They want to talk to you about… uh… ”

A worried expression crossed her face.  “What? Did something happen? Did I…” she suspected the same thing Ichigo did.  Her chin quivered, and her eyes stung.

“No, Woman, no. You got your period,” Ulquiorra said smoothing her hair down. He hoped he sounded reassuring. “Um, it’s called something I forget, but nothing traumatic happened. I mean I think Chad might be scarred for life and Kurosaki might kill me but, nothing bad happened.”

He cleared his throat. “The doctors want to um, talk to you about your medication and adjust the dosage. I’m not really sure.”

She put a hand to her heart and exhaled a shaky breath.  “Thank god, Ulquiorra, I don’t think I could ever forgive myself if… if….” the chin started up again.

He did not like seeing her like this. Ulquiorra kissed her again. “It’s--no… Stop. Orihime, it’s not your fault even if it would have happened. I put you under stress needlessly. Those letters. That bastard and then moving and fuckface again and moving again… Then that--that-- _that money-grubbing whore_.” His words were angry and biting. “Kurosaki--I saw his face and I knew I wasn’t welcomed there even if I explained.”

“Kurosaki-kun,” she said, looking to the side and sighing.  She looked back up at Ulquiorra and said, “Be kind, please. I know he is overprotective but he has done a lot to help me get past what happened, and I know he…” she cringed. “You said I would be happy with him.  I’m not. He’s not you.”

He scoffed but it was gentle. “I’m an asshole Orihime. You know this. I’ve been an asshole to you since day one. I’m just giving you that option. I don’t want to but, I know sometimes we don’t get what we want. I may not be what you need, Kurosaki may be what you need.”

“It doesn’t matter what I need!” she said sharply, angered by what he was saying.  “Do you know… Do you have any idea how much my heart broke when you told me to kiss him?  When you offered to invite him to bed with us? I thought I meant more to you than that.” She huffed and looked him in the eyes, hard.  “You don’t get to decide what I need and what I want. I do,” she said with finality.

She was not done though.  “I love Kurosaki-kun. I love Sado-kun.  I love Tatsuki-chan and Ishida-kun, I even have a place in my heart for Asano-kun and Chizuru-chan.  But they cannot take the spot you fill. Don’t you dare try…” she couldn’t speak anymore. She bit her lip and looked at the wall.

Were they going to discuss this now? What better time than the present… It made sense since it had been clearly bothering her since it happened. “I just thought--You said you fancied him when you were younger. I thought it was what you wanted. He obviously wants you. You don’t know how many times I’ve tried to contact you and Chad told me Ichigo threw my notes away. They were drunken scribbles but still,” Ulquiorra paused. He reached out to turn Orihime’s face towards him. “O, you mean the world to me and your happiness is all that matters to me. I know it seems backward but I was just trying to make you happy.”

She kept her eyes trained on the wall.  “I will never understand that,” she muttered.  Her eyes slowly swept toward him, and she added, “Why would you think in a million years that I would ever want anyone other than you?”

“Why would you ever think I would want anyone other than you?”

She rolled her eyes.   “The circumstances were completely different.  Kurosaki-kun was a childhood crush. You and that… person… You were actually together.  You were actually in love. You held onto her even after you broke up. Keeping her in your back pocket was more important to you than my feelings about it,”  she stopped and sighed. She couldn’t let it go that easily.

“This is why we need to be friends before lovers,” Ulquiorra stated. “I’ve seen the way that Kurosaki looks at you Orihime. He’s so in love with you. You’re wrong you know.” He saw the shift in her head. “I was never in love with her. I gave her what she wanted because I thought it would keep her around because I was lonely. I never held onto N--to her. I walked away because I didn’t make her happy. Someone else did. I wasn’t keeping anyone in my back pocket. If you actually looked at the messages I sent to her and the calls I made to her you’d see they were generic texts and I never called her.”

He picked up her hand and kissed it. “I’ll go tell Kurosaki and Chad that you’re awake. They can visit you,” Ulquiorra said.

Her expression betrayed her, worry evident.  “Are you leaving?”

“I can stay, but your friends are worried about you,” he answered. “I’ll go get something to drink or eat while they’re in here. After they’re done, we can talk more.”

She nodded.  The mental images of the message she had taken from Nel and the pictures on Ulquiorra’s phone crowded out what was really in front of her eyes.  She felt the pull of the pit again. Then she touched the ring on her left finger. She worried it with the fingertips on her right hand until she calmed down.  “Ok, I’ll see you later?”

The smile Ulquiorra gave her was small. “I’ll be here until you tell me to get the fuck out,” he explained. “I know you need time, Orihime. You are the only woman I think about. You’re the only person--no, the only woman I want.”

“I love you, Ulquiorra.”

 

***

 

He shut the door to her room softly. Ulquiorra didn’t want to leave her, but he did after kissing her for several minutes. He felt like a teenage boy, making out with a girl in a forbidden location. He moved down the hall to the waiting room where he’d left Chad and Ichigo. He noticed Chad was nowhere around. “Uh, Kurosaki?”

Ichigo looked up at Ulquiorra with a dark expression and waited.

“Orihime’s… Well, she’s awake, if you and Chad want to go visit her. I told her to text me when you were done… I need to apologize to you. I’m sorry for the night in Karakura. I’m sorry you had to deal with Orihime while I was being stupid. I’m sorry but I can’t let you have my girlfriend.”

Ichigo’s heart dropped to his stomach.  His feelings were written all over his face.  He got up and took a couple of steps forward, stopping before turning toward the hall that led to Orihime’s room.  He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. Then he opened it again and looked at Ulquiorra through pinched eyes.  “She was never mine to take,” he said bitterly and left.


	31. Truth Hurts

Her body was hot above him. Ulquiorra groaned, throwing his head back against the bed. Fuck. He gripped her hips tightly, lifting his hips and thrusting into Orihime over and over.  
  
Then his phone rang, waking Ulquiorra up.  
  
That fucking dream had been plaguing him for the past couple of weeks, ever since he started talking to Orihime again. First, it was just text messages. Then it progressed to phone calls. He was allowed to see her, but Kurosaki would tag along. It made him roll his eyes whenever Orihime’s carrot-topped roommate would show up with her.

It wasn’t like he had anything nefarious planned. Every time Ulquiorra touched Orihime in some way it was the same thing.

“AHEM.” Kurosaki clearing his throat.

Ulquiorra looked at the city out of his balcony door and sighed. Then he glared at the tenting under the sheet. Damn traitorous dick. He bit his lip and sighed. He had those pictures on his phone; the ones of Orihime the time she went to that work party. During their relationship, she had sent other photos but just remembering that night… It did things to him.

He grabbed the phone and looked at it. Orihime had called. It was early on a Saturday. Why would she call, interrupting his wet dream? Ulquiorra wondered if she would give him some encouragement over the phone.  
  
Probably not.

They were just friends. Friends who wanted to kiss. Friends who wanted to touch each other. Friends who were eventually going to fuck… again. His hand snaked under the sheet.

Groaning, Ulquiorra grabbed the base of his cock, encircling the firm flesh with his fingers. With his free hand, he held his phone, intent on calling Orihime back. He would try to be as silent as possible and listen to her talk. Once he thought about that idea, it sounded creepy. Maybe he should just ask her to come over. It’d been a few weeks since she was in the hospital. He gave himself a couple of strokes, just to feel something, trying to make up his mind.

He didn’t want to be a jerk to her.

Ulquiorra was keeping good on his promise, and he was giving everything that he could to their relationship. He never mentioned Ginjo. He never mentioned Nel. He’d tried to be more open to things. If she wanted to talk he listened.

His dick was telling him he was done listening. His brain was telling him to slow the fuck down.

Up and down his hand went as he closed his eyes, remembering the feel of Orihime’s body under his mouth. How soft she was. How perfect her tits seemed against his face whenever he buried his head between them. How deliciously tight she felt sliding over him.

He let out a whimper from memory. He wanted to enter her again and again. He wanted to look at her face as she reached a peak of ecstasy that only he had brought her to. He wanted to tell her how good she made him feel. He wanted to lick every inch of her body, making sure to give her as many orgasms as he could with his mouth; with his fingers; with his cock.

That familiar sensation started in his limbs, and Ulquiorra wasn’t even done fantasizing about the gorgeous redhead. She was brilliant. She was the brightest spot in his life. Fuck. A strangled cry left his lips as he came under the sheet, his cum pooling on his stomach.

Now he just felt uncomfortable and guilty at his actions. He needed to do laundry later today anyway, so he just wiped himself off with the sheet before getting out of bed and starting his day. Ulquiorra had no curtains on any of the windows, preferring to let the natural light stream in. Of course, this was a problem at night when he tucked himself into bed naked. He didn’t want the old ladies having a heart attack over some hard body foreigner walking in front of the window.

When he was done with his shower, he texted Orihime. It was the normal morning text any star-crossed lovers would receive from each other.

_\- Morning, Baby. I hope you slept well. I’ll see you later._

Then he got dressed to start his day. Ulquiorra stripped the sheets off his bed and remade it with a new set. Both of sets of linens he owned were the same dark grayish-taupe color, devoid of pattern and frills. He gathered all the dirty clothes into his laundry bag. He’d do that chore then come back to put everything away. Maybe he’d take Orihime out to lunch… Maybe she would accept a dinner date.

Contemplating this, Ulquiorra sent her another text.

_\- Would you be opposed to having dinner with me?_

He put the phone into the pocket of his jeans and gathered what he needed to run his errands.

 

***

 

Orihime had woken up early on Saturday morning.  She had gone to bed early the night before, and the night before that, and the night before that… her social life was really rather stifled at the moment.  It seemed she couldn’t get a drink of water without one of her sweet, well-meaning, but excruciatingly overprotective roommates coming out to check if she was “OK”.

She was fine.  Things were going well with Ulquiorra.  She was frustrated at the slow pace of their relationship, but Ulquiorra insisted.  She really didn’t know what the big deal was, but if it was a big deal to him, and apparently to her roommates, she would deal with it.

But it didn’t mean she had to like it.

So, at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, after she went to the restroom and brushed her teeth and made herself a cup of coffee, she went out on the balcony between hers and Chad and Ichigo’s room and put her feet up on the railing.  She sipped at the warm beverage and thought about what she wanted today.

She had but one word come time mind.  It rhymed with Pookie-flora.

So she called Pookie-flora. No answer.  She didn’t bother leaving a voicemail but set her phone aside and went back in to get another cup of coffee.

While she was inside, Chad woke up and came out the balcony, just in time to hear Orihime ’s phone chime indicating she had received a text message. He looked over and was able to read the entirety of the message on her preview screen.  “Aww,” he said to himself out loud.

Orihime was still inside, having offered to make Chad a cup of coffee when the second message came it.  “Hmm, dinner date, huh?” Chad asked to himself. He called out, “Hey, Orihime, can I use your phone for a second?”

She thought nothing of it.  “Sure, go ahead!”

Chad was not the type to execute a plan like his, but he was the type to instigate it.  He took Orihime’s phone into his room and shook Ichigo awake with the side of his foot. “Hey,” he giggled a big man giggle.  “I have Orihime’s phone, and she said we could use it…”

Ichigo groaned and rolled over.  “What time is it?”

“Time for you to get out of bed and give Cifer some shit.”

Ichigo rolled his eyes.  If there was one thing he was getting sick of, it was babysitting Cifer and Orihime.  “Leave me alone,” he grumbled.

“No, Ichigo.   _I have her phone._  I have _permission_ to use it.  Don’t you wanna see how riled up we can get Cifer?”

Ichigo groaned and sat up.  “What did you have in mind?”

About ten minutes later Orihime heard snickering from behind the closed doors of Chad and Ichigo’s room.  She knocked on the door. “Hey, guys? Coffee’s getting cold.”

“Oh, yeah, thanks Orihime,” Ichigo’s laughing voice carried through the door.  

Orihime took three coffees to the balcony and waited.  A moment later, she heard her phone ringing, and a squealed, “Oh shit!” From Ichigo followed by a deep, “Inoue, your phone is ringing,” from Chad.  If she didn’t know better, she would think he had been trying not to laugh too.

Both men came out to join her on the balcony and watched with anticipation as she answered the phone.  “Hello?”

“Woman, what is the meaning of this?” Ulquiorra asked. He was confused about the texts he got from her. It didn’t sound like Orihime’s way of talking, but he was desperate for some conversation from her.

“What’s the meaning of what?   Oh, sorry about before, I guess it was kind of too early to call, I was just missing you and wanted to hear your voice...” she trailed off, embarrassed about having an audience.

Ulquiorra sighed. “I’m talking about the replies to my text messages. Why would you ask me what I’m wearing? Why would ask me--Look, why the messed up messages?”

She shot a suspicious glance toward her roommates.  “You sent me text messages?”

“Busted,” Ichigo taunted Chad, loud enough for Ulquiorra to hear.

Chad gave Ichigo a stern look. “Shhh.”

The dark-haired man scoffed. He had been confused about the messages and their childish words, but he now understood. “I texted you. I sent two messages, and you sent me about five texts back, each one more ridiculous than the last. I’m coming over. I was going to do laundry, but I obviously need to speak to you in person rather than trying to communicate with you with your guards around.”

Orihime indicated her agreement and hung up, looking at her roommates with firm disapproval.  “I hope you two are proud of yourselves. I can’t believe you would impersonate me!”

Each man pointed to the other with an air of innocence.

Chad felt guilty. He was only trying to have a bit of fun. Goading Cifer into a tirade seemed like a good idea at the time but, Ichigo had taken it a step too far. “Sorry,” he said, appearing scolded. “It’s just… we both think that maybe you and Cifer--” He looked over at Ichigo, trying to find the right word to finish the statement.

 

“Listen, Orihime, you know I think you are too good for that jerk off.  You know that… Well, you know that. But I just am about one more “longing gaze”” - he used air quotes here - “away from cleaning his clock.”  

Chad sighed. He was pining after Ichigo. Ichigo was pining after Orihime. Orihime and Ulquiorra were one romantic date from banging each other in public. He was tired of it. Chad told Ichigo he wanted his room back; that Orihime was good to go on the Cifer front and that they should let her make her own choice. His long-time friend was not convinced. Cifer was still a bastard. “I think you should have dinner with Cifer.”

“Oh, Okay.  I would like to do that,” Orihime said with a confused smile on her face.  “So, are you going to be coming, or…?”

Chad spluttered into his coffee cup. That was the wrong word taken the wrong way. “Uh, no. Ichigo and I have other plans.”

Ichigo had been glaring at Chad, but after he said that, he got up and stormed back inside.

“What’s wrong with Ichigo?” she asked Chad.

The big man looked back at Ichigo before he sat down on the hard surface of the balcony. “I need my room back Orihime. I can’t stand--It’s not that I can’t stand Ichigo… I can’t explain it right now. Ichigo thinks that Cifer just wants you for sex. That he’s going to do the same things to you that he previously did.”

“I’m in love with Ichigo, and I can’t stand to see how he looks at you every time you talk to or touch Cifer,” Chad murmured. He didn’t mean to spill his guts out over morning coffee. “I don’t mean this in a bad way, but you should move back in with him.”

She could see the pain in Chad’s eyes.  She knew he was opening up and allowing his deepest vulnerabilities to be shown to her.  Her heart ached for him. She recognized herself in his eyes, the self from high school who would have done anything to be noticed by Ichigo.   She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, tucking his head under her cheek. “Does Ichigo know?”

His head shook back and forth as much as he could allow it to without making her chest squish further into him. “No, and I don’t plan on telling him. He doesn’t need that right now.”

She sighed deeply and swallowed back sympathetic tears.  “I am so sorry, Sado-kun. I know how you feel, deeply. I wish I could take it away.”  She squeezed and felt his large arms circle her waist. They stayed that way.

“Thank you, Inoue,” Chad said, not minding the warmth of her embrace. “I need my room back. I’m not trying to shove you out of the apartment, but I can’t stand sleeping--”

Their conversation was interrupted by sharp raps at the door. “We should let Ichigo answer the door,” Chad stated.

Orihime was slightly confused by Chad’s response but did not object.  She was happy to be a soft body to lean on in his time of emotional need.  She squeezed him tighter and squished her cheek into his floppy hair.

It was a total mistake, but Chad brought his hands up to push Orihime back and accidentally grabbed her breast. He turned bright red and coughed an apology out to the woman. The sharp knocks at the door sounded again. “If uh, Ichigo isn’t going to answer, I’ll answer the door.”

Orihime backed up awkwardly, her face matching the ruddy shade of her taller friend.  “Sado-kun, one thing,” she said as he was turning toward the door.

“Hmmm?” he said pausing before making his way into the apartment. “Yes, Inoue?”

“Is Ulquiorra right about Ichigo?  Does Ichigo… Does he love me?”

Chad nodded. “At first it was just he and I talking about how good you looked, and then he’d get jealous when I would joke about--” Chad motioned with his hands in front of his own chest, talking about her breasts. “He was hoping you two would get together during the Snow Lantern Festival and when he saw you and Cifer--You have a nice body. Your boyfriend has a nice body. The night in Karakura… He knew he couldn’t have you. It hurts him to have you here because you are with Cifer and I’m tired of suffering. I’m tired of him suffering.”

“I understand,” she said, sadly.  She was sad about making her friends suffer.  She never wanted to be a burden to them or cause them pain.  “I will be out of here by tonight, one way or another. I’ll send someone for my things.  I hope we can all be friends again sooner than later, but I understand if you will need some time and space.  I just am so, so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you, Sado-kun. I never wanted to hurt him.” There was a rap on the door again, this time more insistent.  “Just a minute!” she called out, a bit irritated.

She was crying now.  “I’m so sorry, Sado-kun.”  She made her way to the room Ichigo was holed up in and made to open the door.

“Orihime, I don’t want it to seem like you’re being kicked out. Ask Cifer if you can move in. He has a two bedroom apartment, doesn’t he?”

She turned and smiled at him through her tears.  “I know I have a home with Ulquiorra. That’s not the point.  I don’t feel like you are kicking me out. I am just such an idiot that I didn’t see what should have been obvious before.  I won’t be able to forgive myself if I cause either of you any more pain now that I know about it,” she huffed out a breath.  “Can you open the door while I say goodbye to Ichigo?”

Chad nodded and walked to the entrance. Cifer was tapping a rhythm out on the door and huffing.

When the big man opened the door, Ulquiorra said, “It’s about time you opened the door. What were you doing? Fucking your boyfriend?”

Chad glared at the other male. “Orihime, your boyfriend is here!”

She didn’t come out right away.  She made them wait there, awkwardly, for several minutes.  When she finally came out of Ichigo’s room, she was weeping.  She walked over to Chad’s room without acknowledging either man standing near the door and grabbed a few things.  She packed a backpack with a few changes of clothes and _Nonsense Songs_ and closed the door behind her.  She was not as troubled when she left Chad’s room.  She was just about to walk toward the door when Ichigo’s bedroom door flew open, and he walked over to her, gathering her in his arms.

“I’m sorry, too,” was all he said before he let her go and took a step back, wiping his nose on his sleeve.  “I’ll see you around, Inoue,” he whispered.

It took her right back to high school.  For a minute she looked at him like she did then.  Then she blinked. Then she smiled. “I hope so, Kurosaki-kun.  Take care of yourself. Thank you for everything.”

“Does anyone want to enlighten me as to what is going on?” Ulquiorra asked.

Orihime pursed her lips for a moment and approached him, then bowed at the waist and stood back up.  “Ulquiorra, I hope you don’t think this is forward of me, but can I move in with you? Today?”

He was slightly taken aback. “Uh, I was going to ask you the same question while we were at dinner tonight. I was going to ask if you would move back in with me.”

Ulquiorra didn’t care who was in the room, he grabbed the woman by her waist and kissed her fully on the mouth, running his hands up and down her back. “The answer is yes. You never had to ask me that. You could have shown up, and I would have accepted it.”

Orihime smiled at Ulquiorra.  “Let’s go.” She didn’t look back at the two lovesick men she left behind.  There was nothing she could do for them.

 

***

  
Ulquiorra took her out to dinner that evening. He let Orihime pick the place. Once they were back at the apartment, the green-eyed man looked at the redhead who was strolling through the apartment, checking it out. This was the first time she had been in it since he moved in. “O?”

“Yes?” she replied, checking the condition of a potted palm on the windowsill.

“His name is Horus. He keeps me company. I talk to him. He sits there,” Ulquiorra said in an amused tone.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Horus.  Thank you very much for looking after my Ulquiorra while I was away.  I hope he didn’t make you listen to all of his perverted music all the time.  Believe it or not, he does know some normal songs,” she giggled and looked over her shoulder at Ulquiorra.

He gave her a sarcastic smirk then grabbed Orihime’s hips pulling her closer to him. “You like some of my songs. Did you bring those letters? The ones I wrote to you from before we met?”

She nodded. “Of course I did,” she said, like his question bordered on idiotic.

“Good, bring them to the bedroom. I’m going to explain something to you.”


	32. Flames

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Ulquiorra plays a song for Orihime. Do yourself a favor and have a listen when it comes up, it adds to the experience: https://youtu.be/ichCCegTbnA

 

Ulquiorra looked at the stack of paper. He was unaware of how much he had written to the redhead. She lay on her back, waiting for him to say something. “You could bind these all into a book,” he said in a joking voice. “You know in some of these letters I crossed out things. Sometimes I didn’t do it good enough but other times...”

He trailed off for a moment before he found his voice again. “I want to tell you what those crossed out parts say, maybe you’ll be able to understand things. Okay?”

She bit her lower lip and nodded, anxious to learn what he had hidden before.  This clearly meant a lot to him. He had her full attention.

Ulquiorra shuffled through the papers until he reached the first note with lines going through words. “Which one on this page could you not read?” It was pretty clear the struck out words were fucked up enough none of them were actually readable. When Orihime gestured to the entire page, he laughed. “Uh, I was kind of forceful with this one.”

He explained every word he had ran his pen through several times. He told her about every thought he had when Ulquiorra was writing each letter and why he recommended the songs he did in more details.  
  
Ulquiorra even told her about the time he caught the scent of her favorite lotion and what it did to him. He turned red as she giggled. In turn, Orihime told him about the night she spent in the love hotel and had imagined the way he would touch her. “Was it everything you imagined it would be?” He asked before running his hands through her hair and kissing her jaw.

“I had no idea,” she breathed,  “I didn’t know you could feel so much pleasure from such a light touch.”

“Mmmm, but you like it don’t you? I missed you so much, woman.” Ulquiorra kissed her mouth this time, letting his lips play along hers in a teasing way, nipping at her lower lip before retreating. “I have another song for you to listen to before I make love to you. I’m done being friends with you, Orihime. I want to be your lover again.”

Reaching over to the bedside table, Ulquiorra grabbed his phone and used his thumb to open an app. He waited for the sounds of the acoustic guitar to fill the room. Once the cello joined in the accompaniment, Ulquiorra lifted his eyes and gazed at Orihime. The vocals started, and he entwined their fingers together, and he closed his eyes.

 

_Leave your fears behind_

_Let me give you what you're giving me_

 

As the music rose and swelled, Ulquiorra opened his eyes to gauge his woman’s reaction. She sat there, eyes closed, lost in the melody. He did not say a word until the last sound faded away and the two sat in silence. It was he who broke the stillness with a simple question. “Do you understand how I’ve felt about you since you left those silly dinosaurs in that book?”

The song had been achingly beautiful.  The lyrics sounded as if he could have written them himself.  Tears silently carved a path down her flushed cheeks, and she looked at his face with an awestruck expression.  “All this time?”

“Always,” he replied. “Ever since that first note, I wondered who was this person who dared to disturb my self-imposed exile.” Ulquiorra gathered Orihime into his arms, setting her on his lap. “You kept signing those letters with _Very Truly Yours_ ; what was I supposed to think?”  

“I don’t know what it was about your notes in _The Fall of the House of Usher_ , but I felt… I felt that I _knew_ you.  I knew you right away.  I could feel your hand reaching out to me, and I knew your frustration.  Your loneliness. Your disappointment. I felt the same way as you did, and I had to reach back.”

She took one of his hands into both of hers and traced the tendons on the top of it.  “I know they were just _Post-its_.  Just little green squares with unrelated notes on them. But I read them, and I know it sounds foolish, but,” she paused and sighed, looking to his eyes with a sheepish expression, “but I knew I was going to fall in love with you.”

He gave a half-smirk, where one side of his mouth quirked up but it was brief. “I was angry and lashed out at you because you were right. I used to believe in only what I could see; things that I couldn’t look at didn’t exist. They didn’t matter. I lied to myself a lot about you. I didn’t believe I was falling in love. You were words on a page; you were songs I could listen to. I couldn’t see you though. I couldn’t touch you, so I kept telling myself that. Then I met you.”

Ulquiorra licked his lips before he continued. His mouth had gone dry. His eyes felt like they were burning again. How should he tell her what he had done this time because he left her? “I wasn’t thinking but when I left Kurosaki’s apartment, and I did something stupid,” he told her.

Her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes grew concerned before she asked,  “What did you do?”

His lean arms came up to grab the back of the t-shirt he was wearing, and he brought it over his head. Ulquiorra threw it to the floor and then waited for Orihime’s reaction.

She watched as he took off his shirt and revealed a new tattoo.  A black circle; a hole, a couple of inches below the base of his throat.  It almost looked like a negative image of the moon floating in a white sky against his pale skin, casting its black light against the four on his chest.  It was melancholy. It was hollow. She looked at him with sadness in her questioning eyes.

“O. It’s your initial without being obvious. It was the depths of how I felt; nothing but a black void. I had it placed here because you managed to steal my breath and my heart. When I left you, they both seemed to disappear,” Ulquiorra said. “I hope you’re not upset. You don’t hate it, do you?”

She brought three delicate fingers up to the circle, lightly tracing a path around its perimeter, before covering it a much as she could with her palm.  Her nostrils flared briefly, and she looked up into his eyes, quietly determined. “I don’t hate it. I don’t, but,” her lips formed a thin line as she struggled to find the right words. “I hate to think of you feeling that way.  If it's within my power, I'll never allow you to feel that kind of pain again.”

He kissed her tenderly. “O,” he murmured before he shifted their positions, so Orihime was laying on her back. Ulquiorra’s hands swept up and down her torso, feeling her body and the small changes it had gone through during the time they were separated. With the stress of everything, she probably didn’t take care to eat or bother with her health; just like him. He brought his head down to her neck, acquainting himself with her skin again. He sucked the flesh, making tiny love bites all over the flawless surface until he reached the fabric of her shirt.

Ulquiorra pulled back and looked at her. “May I?”

She stared deeply into his eyes and nodded slightly.  She didn’t smile or shy or look away. She wanted to be present; to give proper reverence to their reunion.

His hands trembled slightly as he reached for the hem of the shirt, pushing it up. Ulquiorra carefully helped her remove the fabric from her head and then threw it in the direction of where his own shirt had gone. He let his eyes inch over her body, studying her; memorizing her. She still managed to make him speechless when it came to sex. Then he took off her bra, flinging it somewhere.

Shifting further down the bed, he captured one of her rosy peaked breasts with his mouth. It had been something he wanted to taste for the past several weeks… no, several months. He lifted his mouth long enough to give the other nipple attention. It seemed like his lips never left her body until he reached the apex of her thighs. “Is everything…?” He didn’t want to voice such a crude question.

She understood regardless.  “It’s alright,” she whispered.

Nodding, his hands wiggled her shorts down her thighs and the rest of her legs. Ulquiorra dropped them off the side of the bed. “I kept having this dream of us having sex,” He said before kissing a spot right above her pubic area. He glanced up at her face before he let his tongue flick through her folds. “The real thing is so much better.”

She breathed her approval at his action and her back lifted off of the mattress in a shallow bow.  The soft heat of his tongue sparked currents of electricity buzzing through her body, arcing and spreading as they traveled.  Her skin shivered, and goosebumps appeared despite the warmth in the room.

“Which do you want more Orihime? Do you want me to make love to you with my tongue or do you want me inside of you?” Ulquiorra asked before letting his mouth explore and taste her again.

“I want you.  I want all of you.”

If that is what she wanted, then he would obey his woman’s demands. Before he got off the bed to undress, Ulquiorra looked at her. He had missed everything about her; the way she smiled and her bright shining eyes. Weeks ago those eyes had been dead, but slowly the life was coming back to them. He wanted to keep the flame alive in them. Removing his clothing was an easy task, and he fell beside her on the bed again. He motioned for her to get on top of him. He wanted to see his dream in real life.

Once she had straddled him, Ulquiorra lifted his hips, pressing his length against her. He couldn’t help but moan as the head of his cock slipped inside of her. His dream wasn’t even close to the real thing. Nothing could imitate the way Orihime made his body feel.

The instant relief that washed through her body as he breached her entrance was overwhelming.  She had been waiting for this for months, and she felt that she was finally home after being adrift for all that time.  

As he pressed deeper, the pressure sent small spasms through her abdomen, and she waited a moment to re-adjust to his size before slowly allowing her body to slide all the way down until her sex was resting flush on top of his body.  She sat there for a moment, feeling him twitch and pulsate below and within her, then she leaned down and kissed his mouth, her hands finding his and threading their fingers together. She kissed her way across his jaw, from one ear to the other, whispering her love to him before she rose back up and began to move on top of him, slow and undulating.

His eyes watched how her hips rolled, every motion bringing a wave of pleasure to his nerves. The pussy cat’s boat would have to endure this storm and ride it out to completion. The bat would have to hold on for his dear life because it seemed every shift the redhead made with her body made him growl with need. He moved with her, bracing his feet on the bed, thrusting up when she would grind against him.

Their movements were perfectly synched.  It didn’t take much time for Orihime’s breath to begin to hitch, and shortly afterward those soft vocalizations crescendoed into a chorus of moans, hers and his. At his urging, she increased her pace, using his hands, which still held hers, to brace herself and give more effort into the exercise.  Her thighs were trembling, and her movements began growing slightly erratic as the first tightening of her passage around his cock came and released like a gentle kiss. More were on the way, they both knew.

He hissed when he felt it. She was going to come before him. The way her cries reached his ears, the desperate pleading of those weeks of loneliness were coming to a head. The way her core slid against him was an erotic jolt through his body, making the tension in his muscles coil more. He sat up with some care and kissed Orihime as he used his hands to drive her onward, fingers gripping her hips. Ulquiorra felt the next wave of bliss go through his girlfriend’s body and he prayed that he would be able to hold on just for a few moments longer. He attached his mouth to the side of her neck, letting his teeth graze the warm surface before releasing the groan he was holding back.

Her fingers tangled into his hair, letting the silky black strands twist around them. Orihime’s mouth dropped opened, and she buried her face into those locks crying out his name. Her body shuddered as she pressed down on to his cock, coming hard.  She felt him pulsate inside of her as her walls milked him and her body began to grow limp from the intensity of her passing orgasm.

The euphoria they both experienced was fierce. When it was all over, Ulquiorra gently laid them both back on the bed. He was gasping while he looked over at the redhead. “I’m glad you’re home, Orihime,” he murmured to her once he caught his breath.

Orihime closed her eyes and smiled.  “ _Tadaima ._ ”  She panted, and her small smile grew into a grin as she regarded their sweat soaked bodies.  “We’re out of practice,” she giggled.

Ulquiorra laughed along with her. “That happens when you only jerk off for a couple of months,” he replied.

“Says you, I’ve been waiting,” she teased, poking him in the side.  “Besides, um, I had… uh, roommates,” she mumbled.

“I guess I’m just going to have to make you come several times a day then to make up for all that lost time, aren’t I?” He smirked and raised an eyebrow as if to say “now what’.

He looked so handsome like that.  Orihime's breath caught in her throat and she had to pause before she could say what came to her mind.  “I love you, Ulquiorra Cifer,”

“Aishiteru,” he said in return.

Her smile put the sun to shame.

 

***

 

The weeks flew by in a happy blur of time. Ulquiorra kept his promise to Orihime about making up for lost months of pleasure. The moment they were both alone inside their apartment, he would pounce on her, so that he could make her moan and whimper.

Ulquiorra started taking care of himself and quit drinking. He didn’t need to numb things with Orihime around. He started going back to the gym/dojo thing where Chad was employed. The big man would always smile when he saw Ulquiorra. Chad’s eyes weren’t as dark or sad anymore. There was a spark to them, and the German man had to wonder if Chad or Kurosaki had declared their undying love for each other.

Then one day he saw why Chad had a spring in his step. He saw why the big man looked expectantly every time someone walked in.

He texted Orihime a picture of Chad taking animatedly with a man… A man that wasn’t Kurosaki. This guy was big and muscled. He had short cropped silver hair, but he couldn’t have been _that_ old. He looked way too young to have gray hair. After he was done running on the treadmill, Ulquiorra walked over to where Chad was sipping from a water bottle.  
  
“Cifer,” Chad said in greeting.

“Chad, who’s the guy you keep smiling at?”

“Huh? Oh, he’s a client of mine,” the other man answered.

Ulquiorra nodded but didn’t say anything further. He watched Chad when he saw him with the silver-haired man. Their actions were subtle but it looked like Kurosaki was quickly being replaced by someone else. This made the German chuckle, but it wasn’t until the middle of July that he had proof that it was more than a personal trainer/client relationship.

Ulquiorra just happened to have the camera on his phone open as the silver-haired guy grabbed Chad’s ass. The picture showed the squeeze, and he sent it off to Orihime, chuckling as he did so. He knew she had been waving a flag for Kurosaki and Chad to get together, but that didn’t look to be the case.

He didn’t bother to finish his workout, walking up to the Mexican with a mischievous expression. “Client, eh?”

“Cifer.”

“What? Just wondering why’d you let a client touch--”

A sigh came from Chad. “Okay, what do you want? Is this payback for the stupid texts Ichigo and I sent?”

Ulquiorra shook his head. “Now why would I seek retaliation for that? You practically shoved Orihime back into my arms, and I couldn’t be happier. Does Kurosaki know you’re fucking around on him?”  
  
If the place were quiet, the snort would have echoed. Chad huffed several times before looking at the smaller man. “This is none of Ichigo’s business,” he stated. “He’s busy and--”  
  
“He turned you down.”  
  
“ _TCH_. No,” Chad snapped, folding his muscled arms over his chest. “No. I’ve not said a word to him and--Shit. How did you figure out I had feelings for him?”

“I didn’t. I owe Orihime. She bet me that you two were in love. I said it was only sex.”  
  
That made Chad laugh. “No. Ichigo and I are just roommates.”

“ _Oh my god,_  you’re roommates,” Ulquiorra said in a mocking tone. “Orihime and I were roommates. We fuck like rabbits.”

“Cifer!”

“What? I’m just saying if you two are attracted to each other--”

"Shut up! Kensei and I are just friends. Ichigo and I are _just friends_.”  
  
“Kensei?”  
  
“ _Muguruma-san_ ,” Chad growled in correction. “Are you done pestering me?”

When he got home that evening, he was chuckling to himself. If Kurosaki was going to fuck with his life, Ulquiorra would fuck with the orange-haired man in return. He looked at his phone contacts and pressed his thumb against the one that said, “Fuckwad”.

It was petty, but Ulquiorra could be like that at times. He could be a pot stirrer too. He sent the picture he had taken earlier that day of this Muguruma Kensei grabbing Chad’s ass to Kurosaki. The dark-haired man could just imagine the outraged screams of Kurosaki when he saw the photograph.

He quickly got rid of the evidence before Orihime decided to go through his phone, deleting the message he sent.

Ichigo had felt his phone buzz in his pocket while he was doing rounds, so he waited until he had a free moment to look at his phone.  He saw that it was a message from “rat bastard”. He tsked before he opened it, and then his mouth fell open.

What?

Wait.  What?

He brought the phone closer to his face and just stared for the longest time.  He could not believe his own eyes.

He finished the rest of his day on autopilot, and when he finally got home, he sat on the sofa and waited for Chad.

He waited.

And waited.

And it got dark.  Still, Ichigo sat immobile waiting for his roommate and nearly lifelong best friend to come home.  

Finally, at nearly 11:30 p.m., Chad walked through the door.

It had been dinner and drinks with Kensei. They’d gone out around seven that evening, and it was hours later. That didn’t explain Chad’s rumpled hair. It didn’t explain the mysterious bruises on his neck that looked suspiciously like love bites. It didn’t begin to clarify why his lips were swollen and why he smelled like another man. He didn’t expect anyone to be awake when he walked in.

“Do you have something you want to tell me, son?” Ichigo asked, half joking and half serious.

He turned toward the voice, kind of shocked to see his friend sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone casually. “Uh, no… Is this about me eating the brownies that Yuzu made and sent down here? I only meant to eat one but they were good, and I was carb loading.”

Ichigo kept his eyes trained on his phone, and was scrolling through something on it with a slight flair.  “No, nothing like that… although I will break your fingers for that later. No, this is something a bit more personal in nature.  Something a little piece of shit bird told me.”

“Uh?” Was all Chad could get out. He scratched the back of his neck and turned toward his room. “I don’t know what that would be. I mean… I haven’t said anything to anyone about anything.” He was almost to his door. If he could get inside, he could inspect the damage that Kensei had done and hopefully find out how to mask the spots on his neck.

“Dude, you can tell me if you’re gay.”  Ichigo didn’t like thinking his friend was keeping that big of a secret from him.  It hurt that the big guy didn’t trust him, especially after everything they had been through together.  The hurt came through in his voice, despite Ichigo’s brave attempt to appear casual.

Chad stopped and turned to peer at the other male. “Gay? I’m not gay Ichigo. I’ve had sex with Tatsuki and Chizuru. I like having sex with women. What is this about? You didn’t seem that upset when I was kissing guys when we were in Karakura during spring break.”

“Chad, I’m not upset about you kissing guys.  I’m upset about you hiding who you are from me.  You are my best friend. You are my brother. You are letting an _admittedly_ attractive guy grab your ass at work,” he turned his phone’s screen toward the Mexican.

The big man swallowed. He could see the picture from here. He knew who took that photo of him and Kensei. “I’m not hiding anything,” Chad said, remembering the murmured conversation that led to that touch and then dinner and then sex on Kensei’s table. He was mad. Why would Ichigo care? “So what if I’m letting people grab my ass? It’s not yours; I _don’t_ have to answer to you. You seemed to be oblivious to anyone who shows interest in you. Make sure you text Cifer back and tell him my other side is my good side for taking photos.”

Ichigo was at a loss.  “Chad, I don’t know why you are so upset.  I am trying to tell you that I don’t care who you are attracted to, but I don’t want you to keep big secrets from me like this.  I thought we were closer than that!” Ichigo could not stop his voice from raising. He was offended by Chad’s reaction.

“Really? Is there even a brain between your ears? I think you would care if I was attracted to you! I was trying to tell you that. You knew I liked both men and women. That’s not a secret between us,” Chad said. He paused for a moment and then scoffed. “I know what this is. You’re jealous because I’m giving my attention to someone who isn’t you. Like you were jealous about Cifer and Orihime. You’re not the center of attention, and it’s killing you.”

Ichigo rolled his eyes.  “You know for someone who thinks he’s got such great powers of observation you are pretty blind yourself.  Yes, I may be a bit jealous, but it’s not because you are giving attention to someone you like or care about.  I am jealous because that fuckface _Cifer_ seems to know you better than I do!”  Ichigo stood up and stomped to his room, slamming the door behind him.  He was too irrational to talk anymore.

Chad sighed, shaking his head. He’d just bared his heart and shoved the truth in Ichigo’s face, and the man didn’t address it. The guy needed to go get checked out because he had a severe case of head-up-ass. He opened his own bedroom door and got what he needed to get cleaned up, and fifteen minutes later he was standing in front of Ichigo’s bedroom door. “Ichigo, can I come in?”

Ichigo sighed and a muffled “yeah” came through the door.  He didn’t turn or raise his head off of his pillow as Chad came in.

He closed the door behind him and stood there. “Cifer comes to work out. We get lunch together sometimes. He’s an okay guy. He’s taking care of our princess. I can’t get mad at the guy. He told me last week they bought another plant together. Orihime likes the plants.” Chad went over to Ichigo’s bed and sat down on the floor beside it. “You don’t have a right to get mad at my choices in my life. I don’t have to answer to you Ichigo. You’re busy trying to become a doctor; you don’t have time to entertain anyone. I learned that. I found someone else. You seemed okay with the whole me being bisexual when I was single, but when you have proof of a potential suitor, you freak out. What gives?”

Ichigo sighed again.  He thought about telling Chad all the reasons It bothered him. He thought about why he never really took Chad’s bisexuality seriously. He thought about how he didn’t like how things were changing and how everybody was drifting away from one another.  But he decided not to say those things. He only said, “You’re right. I’m an asshole.“

Chad nodded. “Sometimes you are,” he agreed. The silence in the room was awkward, and he cleared his throat. He wanted to tell Ichigo that all it would take is just a little sliver of interest on the orange-haired man’s part and Chad would drop Kensei. It wasn’t anything serious, but he wouldn’t do that to his friend. He didn’t hurt his friends. Ichigo was trying to do something with his life. Chad was just some musclehead who worked in a gym helping people who wanted to get in shape. He handed out advice about their workout routines and eating habits. “You should have said something… if you were… you know… interested.” This statement was murmured and barely audible.

Ichigo looked at Chad and finally understood what he had been trying to tell him.  He shook his head, excruciatingly slowly. He didn’t speak for several minutes as he watched his best friend's heart break.  He finally spoke, in a hoarse whisper, “I’m sorry, Chad. I can’t… I can’t return your feelings.”

Again he nodded then stood up. “It’s cool. It’s fine. I know, just--” Chad couldn’t find the word that he wanted to say, his mind going blank. Instead, he walked over to the door of the bedroom and let himself out. Instead of going to his own room, Chad went to the apartment door, slipped his shoes on, digging his phone out of the pockets of his sweats. He would deal with Cifer later. Instead of calling the foreigner and bitching him out, the Mexican man texted Kensei.


	33. Take My Name

It was the twenty-third day of July when Ulquiorra made the call to his parents. Mikhail and Edra Cifer were sitting in their front parlor, reading when the phone rang. Mikhail looked at his wife and then in the direction of the house phone. Who could be calling the actual house and not one of their cellphones?

 

Grumbling, he glanced down at his book only to have one of the household staff interrupt him. “Herr Cifer, Ulquiorra ist am telefon,” the woman said from the doorway.

 

Why wouldn’t their son call their personal numbers?

 

He looked at his wife, “Edra, why don’t you go talk to him?”

 

The woman with black hair and green eyes looked at her husband. “Why? I mean I love him but the last time he called was back around Christmas! It’s been months since then. How many times has he called you or talked to you?”

 

Hell hath no fury like a mother snubbed by her only child. He marked his place and put the book to the side. Gripping the arms of the chair, he hoisted his tall frame up and straightened his cardigan and smoothed down his facial hair. Before he left the room, he passed by his wife, pausing. Mikhail tipped her head up and kissed her before striding off to his office to answer the phone call.

 

Mikhail Cifer had done well in life. His only "flaw" had been running into a beautiful Spanish woman in Barcelona while on holiday there. He’d been young. He’d been full of ambition. He’d fallen into her siren song of love and spent most of the summer chasing after her. It turned out she was studying some kind of biology. It was fate because he was in his last year of medical school.

 

Edra moved to Berlin. Mikhail drove to see her every chance he got then one day it happened. They were discussing the ethics of using some medication when she threw her head back and laughed. At that moment, the German native knew he would spend the rest of his life with this woman. The same night, he proposed to her with a ribbon the color of a field of grass.

 

They married several months after Edra’s graduation and nine months later, they welcomed a screaming baby boy into the world. Edra and Mikhail were the ideal parents; teaching their son, who was sickly pale and had eyes too big for his face, everything they could. They took him on trips; zoos and various festivals; museums and galleries. Ulquiorra didn’t enjoy these adventures, crying and whining most of the time, but he seemed content when at home, nose buried in a book or shopping for books.

 

The young boy ate up Wilde and Shakespeare. He devoured the works of Herman Hesse and Hemingway. Ulquiorra refused to read Austen. He didn’t like Virginia Woolf. The kid wanted classic books instead of normal toys. This desire was nurtured because his parents were intellectuals. However, they worried about their son and his upbringing, so they picked the best schools that they could find for him to get a proper education. While Ulquiorra was away at these schools, the Cifers began to build an empire. They went into a rather promising field.

 

By day, Mikhail was a family doctor; taking care of little ones and old folks alike. He had a gentle bedside manner. Edra was a microbiologist. When his day as a doctor was done, he’d join Edra in the facility they built for pharmaceutical research. Over the years Germany came to be one of the top places for drug research then through investments and good financial decisions, the Cifers grew rich. Their company became the place to do internships and work.

 

They were so busy with their professional lives that being parents was put on hold, for a bit. They were happy with their son so they didn’t have any more children. It was fine with Ulquiorra. He didn’t like other children anyway.

 

When Ulquiorra came home in the summer, they would take off to locations all over Europe and the Mediterranean. The dark-haired, green-eyed, pale kid would walk between his parents on the streets of Paris, talking animatedly in Spanish, English, French and German. By the time he was finished with schooling he could speak six languages. He had some of the highest grades in the country and he got accepted to several prestigious universities, including several ivy league institutions America. Everyone thought was going to make his parents even prouder by becoming a doctor, just like his father.

 

In the end, Ulquiorra decided to stay close to home. That’s when the trouble started. The fresh-faced teen met Cirucci Sanderwicci, an older woman who was in the same college (or so she said) as their son. When the boy came home for Christmas, dragging that slut along, Mikhail put his foot down and said that female had to find other accommodations after hearing the woman’s cries ring out through the mansion.

 

Edra had to remind Mikhail that they were once in love and did stupid things, but his father never liked Cirucci, especially when she ran off pregnant by that Dordoni guy. He’d never seen Ulquiorra so dismayed or downtrodden. The next year came and Ulquiorra said he was changing his major. He wanted to be a teacher. It seemed like a more rewarding career.

 

The mother talked to the son and when Mikhail heard about why his son did not want to be a doctor, it broke his heart.

 

Everyone knew the Cifer name, it was synonymous with prestige, pharmaceuticals, and money. Ulquiorra didn’t want to attract the wrong kind of people. Being a doctor would do that. Aiming lower for something like a teacher would show people he was poor, especially if he did things on his own.

 

He got a job while in college. He bought a junk heap of a car. He moved out of his parent’s estate and got an apartment with a few of his friends. That Szayel was odd. Zommari was quiet. Yammy was a loudmouth. They were good friends for Mikhail’s boy.

 

Then Loly Aivirrne tripped and somehow landed in his son’s life, like a soul sucking parasite. He’d warned Ulquiorra about the woman. Something with her wasn’t right. Then came the call. Ulquiorra barely was passing his classes and he found out his girlfriend was actually a prostitute.

 

It was a good thing that Mikhail had some friends in high places or else Ulquiorra wouldn’t have finished school.

 

Then just after he graduated, Nel came into his life. At first they were just friends, and Mikhail would be polite. After all, he could see his son was wary about the woman and how he constantly pushed her away from him. He put up walls that the teal haired woman would somehow smash through with just a smile or a look.

 

Ulquiorra was working towards a master’s degree in education when Mikhail found out that his son and Nel were in a relationship. The boy worked constantly to give her what she wanted all while going to school. Then money started disappearing out of Ulquiorra’s account. His son would take her on trips. He moved out from his friends’ apartment and moved in with Nel.

 

He remembered that call almost two years ago.

 

“Vati?”

  
  
“Ulquiorra?”

  
  
“I’m going to Japan.”

  
  
That’s all his son said. There was no explanation until a few weeks later when Mikhail saw Nel out with two men, draped over them like a scarf around a neck. He understood. He called Ulquiorra that night.

  
  
“I saw Nelliel today.”

  
  
That was all he said to his son. Somehow that was enough to break the dam. Emotions poured out of his child. Ulquiorra told him that he wasn’t enough for any of the women he allowed into his life. Women used him and he did not want to experience that again. He’d remain a stone wall. Impassable. He would be impersonable. Ulquiorra was quite stubborn and when he got an idea into his head, he held onto it.

  
  
The kid could hold grudges like it was his profession and paid the bills.

 

Mikhail and Edra heard from their son rarely but he always swore he was doing well. Then Ulquiorra called, voice franticand wanting a large sum of money. Mikhail asked but never received a clear answer. He had to get information from the bank as to where nine million yen went.

 

He called this Iba Tetsuzaemon. Mikhail got his answer. He wasn’t happy about it but it was his son’s life. He would not interfere.

  
  
Then fourteen million yen disappeared. Mikhail called this Mister Iba… but no… The Japanese man had not heard from Ulquiorra in weeks.

 

Placing a phone call to his son directly told a different story. His child was a mess, drunk and slurring his words. Mikhail said nothing. After all, Ulquiorra was almost thirty. He could do what he wanted with his life.

 

Then out of the blue on this glorious but sweltering evening of July the twenty-third… Ulquiorra called the house phone; the one used for acquaintances and Edra’s relatives that Mikhail did not like; that was how he ran his house. He did not interact with those he could not stand.

 

Mikhail sighed before he picked up the phone, knowing this conversation was going to go as well as an angry Frau in a china shop. “Ulquiorra, my son.”

 

“I’m coming home.”

 

“You are?” The words were said in disbelief. “What? When?”

  
  
“I’m bringing my fiance, Inoue Orihime.” His child’s voice sounded happy and light with a hint of inflection that was not normally present.

  
“Do you know when you will arrive? Your mother will want to--”

 

“No, I don’t know. I have to inform Orihime that we’re going to Germany,” came the reply.

 

The man grumbled. “Well please let us know, call your mother’s number the next time.”

 

A huff came from Ulquiorra. “I know it will be sometime in August. I get a break from the University--”

  
  
“Oh, so you did do that,” Mikhail asked.

  
  
“Yes Vati. I realized I needed to make a better life for myself; for Orihime.”

  
  
“Eh, this woman… She is a good woman, yes? Not like the others?”

 

Mikhail could hear the love through his son’s words. He could hear the passion in the boy’s voice. He wasn’t going to pretend to understand the reference but Mikhail could understand the level of adoration his son was feeling. “She’s everything I ever wanted. She’s my nonsense song.”

 

After a couple more questions, Mikhail returned to the front parlor and pulled his wife into his arms, kissing her deeply. Edra looked at him questioningly. “What does he want now?”

 

“He’s bringing his wife home.”

 

Edra, being the traditional Spanish woman that she was, started screeching. “Wife? What do you mean his wife? When did he get married? Will I have grandbabies now?”

 

The German man chuckled and led his wife to their bedroom. He always knew how to shut her up with a kiss.

 

***

 

Ulquiorra picked Orihime up from the hospital after she was done working that day. He had two plane tickets in his pocket. The scene was all set. He was taking her to a nice French fusion place. He had another ring in his pocket. He’d explained to the people what he wanted.

 

When they got to the place named _La Mélodie_ , Ulquiorra escorted his girlfriend inside and told the person who came up to them, “Cifer.”

  
  
The two were taken to a table in a private room. There was candlelight. Soft music played over the speakers. He could tell what Orihime was thinking. She was standing there looking flabbergasted because she wasn’t dressed for this; she didn’t deserve this; this was too much for her.

 

The dark-haired man smiled at her, beckoning her forward. He pulled Orihime close then kissed her. He didn’t give a rat’s ass about the Japanese and their unspoken rules about public displays of affection. This was a private room anyway. “Sit, I promise you, your curiosity will be satisfied soon.”

 

After the two sat down on the posh fabric covered chairs, Ulquiorra ordered two glasses of champagne. He didn’t bat an eye at the price. Nothing was too much for tonight. If Orihime said yes, he would begin to plan the rest of his life with her by his side. She’d learn everything there was to know about Ulquiorra Cifer.

 

The apprehension on Orihime’s face was evident. She wasn’t used to such treatment and Ulquiorra had to wonder what kind of men the woman had attracted in the past. If Ginjo was anything to go by, they weren’t the good kind. They were trash and undeserving of the woman sitting across from him, blushing because he just paid her a compliment which made her cheeks flush with heat.

 

“Orihime,” he said, taking her hand. “You look so beautiful but you seem uncomfortable. Why?”

 

She didn’t like feeling that she was disappointing him somehow.  “I’m sorry, I am just not really dressed appropriately, and I’ve never been to a place like this…”  she trailed off, her eyes sweeping the room with obvious awe. “I don’t really even know how to behave,” she added as her eyes returned to him with a small, lopsided smile.

 

Ulquiorra waved a hand as if behavior, manners and rules did not apply. “Act normally,” he stated reassuringly. “How was your day today?”

 

The woman looked at him and beamed. Her smile could light the darkest corner of his world. To think he was going to let this go from his life. It was a ridiculous notion and one that should be banished from the history of his thoughts. She became animated as she told him what kind of activities she helped patients with today and how her boss had allowed her to plan out activities for the upcoming week. It was nice to see her chattering away about nothing and everything. It made his mouth turn up at the corners.

 

The waiter came back and took their orders then brought their food. It was then that Ulquiorra turned their discussion to the future. “I know you’re rather new at your position, but would it possible for you to take time off or a vacation?”

 

“Hmm,” she thought aloud.  “It would be a little difficult if it is very short notice but if there was time to prepare I could do pre-planning before I left, and then I think it would be alright.  I’m only part-time, technically. I stay at work even though I’m not actually on the clock,” she stopped to chuckle at herself. “I just really enjoy it. Anyway, I am afforded a little paid vacation and three weeks of unpaid leave per year.  Why do you ask?”

 

It was then that Ulquiorra pulled out a sheet of paper and placed it on the table. It was a printout showing two tickets had been purchased for a flight to Germany. One ticket had his name, the other hers. “Remember I said I wanted to take you to Munich to meet my family? We will leave August ninth and return on the second of September.”

 

Her nerves began buzzing.  This was a big deal. And it wasn’t just a vague notion either, it was right there in front of her, printed in black and white.  Her voice was a little shaky when she responded, “Yes, I remember. I will make it work.”

 

Ulquiorra smiled at Orihime. He held his hand out to her. She gave him a puzzled look. He had to chuckle. “What, do you not trust me?”

 

“I trust you!” she countered, her eyes widening to plead her innocence.  “This is just a surprise. I mean, not totally, but it’s a surprise today.”

 

He nodded his head. “I understand completely. I’ve already informed my parents to expect a visit from us. I’ve set aside some funds for you if you need anything. I’m not talking about everyday things. I mean clothing or if there’s an outfit you want to buy for a night out. I hope that’s not too forward. I’m trying to take care of you.”

 

Her cheeks stained red for the second time that evening,  and she pursed her lips and raised her brows at him in a slightly embarrassed expression, before bringing her hand to the side of her mouth and telling him in a mock-whisper, “Be careful saying things like that, Mr. Cifer, you’re going to turn me into a kept woman,” then put her hand down and laughed at her own joke.

 

Green eyes narrowed at her but he was only doing it playfully. “I want you to be a kept woman. I like how Orihime Cifer sounds,” he said, tone possessive as he picked up her hand and slipped the ring he had hidden away in his pocket onto her finger. It wasn’t anything special to Ulquiorra’s eye. The ring was forged in rose gold with filigree work, diamond chips and an impressive round Morganite stone set in the metal. The woman that sat down across from him was more gorgeous than any ring or piece of jewelry he could buy her.

 

He set her hand down casually. “To make this clear, I will be asking you this question again while we’re in Germany because my mother will want to make a spectacle about it but, Orihime, will you take my last name?”

 

Her hand was trembling as she lifted it to examine the ring he had given her.  Her expression was flat for a long moment, but her breathing communicated volumes.  She was shaken. She had never in her life anticipated how this moment would feel. She had never in her life thought she could love someone as much as she loved him.  She had never, not once, in her life even imagined that someone could love her as he professed to. She observed the object on her finger and watched as the light danced across it’s pinkish-peach facets under the candlelight, then slowly lifted her eyes to Ulquiorra’s shining, verdant depths.  She opened her mouth and a sharp, involuntary breath was sucked in along with her lower lip. She could only nod. And nod. And nod and nod and nod and finally she stood and walked to his side and threw her arms around his neck, letting her tears stain his shirt shoulder. Only when she felt his arms encircle her waist was she able to force the word through her constricted voice, “Yes.”

 

Yes. Affirmation. That one word just made him the happiest man in the world. He smiled at her. “Thank you,” Ulquiorra said to Orihime.

 

***

 

The morning they landed at Narita to catch their flight to Munich was clear. It was bright and sunny. Ulquiorra smiled as he held hands with Orihime through the airport. They had an hour until their next flight would take off and then it would be an twelve hour nonstop plane ride in business class.

 

He had tried to assure Orihime that his family would love her. They would all bow to her charms just like he had. Ulquiorra couldn’t help notice she had the copy of _Nonsense Songs_ in her carry on. It made him sigh in a content way. Those two books had started everything. This entire thing started with one of his spring green Post-Its falling to the floor of his apartment. It started with those snarky, royal dinosaurs in pastel colors and her flowery script trying to tell him what a heart was.

 

Ulquiorra knew what a heart was. He just hadn’t been ready to give it to anyone else. Then O came into his life and all he knew now was this passionate love he felt for the woman. Some days it made him speechless how much he could feel for her. It was like experiencing a fire from within, burning through his veins and leaving nothing but ash behind.

 

It was a slow burn, eating away at his soul. He wanted to savor this sensation for the rest of his days.

 

When they were sitting next to each other on the plane waiting for takeoff, Ulquiorra leaned over and kissed her. “You need to start planning a wedding,” he told Orihime.


	34. Welcome to Germany

They got their luggage waiting at the baggage carousel then Ulquiorra piled it all onto a big cart. He smiled at Orihime before they began the trek to the front of the airport where he already had confirmation that his parents' driver was waiting for them.

He had grown up around Renard. The man was like family; a grandfather almost. He spotted the tall man with the white hair holding a sign. “Over here,” the man chirped in heavily accented English, motioning for Ulquiorra and the woman to him. “Ah, Master Cifer, so good to see you again. Your parents are so thrilled that you’re home.”

“Danke,” Ulquiorra said. It was embarrassing how he was addressed. “You know Renard, you’ve known me for how long? Twenty years? You can drop the Master Cifer thing. I know you know my name.”

“Nein, ich verweise auf dich mit deinem Titel.” Renard opened the door to the SUV and gestured that they should get into the vehicle.

Ulquiorra shook his head. “Orihime, this is Renard. He works for my parents. He drives them around.”

“Yells at the youngling when he puts baseballs through windshields and glass panes,” the man stated. That made the dark-haired man blush.

Orihime giggled at that, and addressed the driver, “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Renard.  My name is Orihime Inoue,” she bowed, unable to _not_ do it.  It was deeply ingrained.  When she stood up she regarded Ulquiorra with a bemused expression.  “So, how much glass are we talking about?”

“It’s just Renard, dear. I’m an old man. Mister makes me sound ancient.”

“You are ancient,” Ulquiorra said. “Go ahead and get in the car, Orihime. I’ll help Renard with the bags.”

The driver scoffed, “You get in the car. I’ll get the bags.”

Ulquiorra returned the noise. This was familiar territory for him. He’d been fighting with Renard for years. “You’ll break a hip. I can help.”

Orihime gasped at Ulquiorra.  “You must respect your elders,” she said, swatting toward his elbow in a false kind of scolding.  She picked up her own bag and started hauling it toward the back of the car, grumbling, “Besides, don’t want you to break a hip either, _eroyaji_.”

He’d show her how much of an eroyaji he could be. She wore a skirt for the flight. It’d be really easy to--

Ulquiorra was prodded out of his thoughts by the old man. “You’re going to let your future wife get the upper hand on you?” Renard asked in German.

Rolling his green eyes in annoyance, Ulquiorra pulled the cart to the rear of the vehicle. Renard must have pressed a button because the back of the SUV popped open. “Go get in the car; I’ve got it, _Pet_ ,” he whispered in against her neck. With a smirk, Ulquiorra took her bag and loaded it inside and then did the same with the rest.

“Petto?” she murmured to herself as she allowed Renard to open the door to the backseat for her.  She climbed in and belted herself in the spot behind the driver’s seat. She waited for Ulquiorra to finish loading the luggage and when he climbed into the other seat, she gave him a confused look.  “Petto? Like a pet? I have not heard this one before.”

Ulquiorra pressed a button that made a divider come up between the front seat and the rear. “You’d rather hear Baby, Woman, O or another sweet name I have for you?” He asked with a sly look on his face. “You’re my _pussy_ cat, Orihime, just as I am your winged demon.”

She rose a knowing brow at him but blushed, anyway.  He had a tendency to one-up her in the dirty talk department despite giving it her best effort.  She tried to think of a smart comeback, but her cheeks kept getting hotter and hotter. She caved in under the pressure of his gaze, covering her cheeks with her hands and squirming.  “You’re so naughty, Ulquiorra. What if he heard you?” she said, looking pointedly at the screen.

A laugh bubbled out of his throat. Again, Ulq pressed a button in the panel on the door. “Renard, please inform Miss Inoue of the divider.”

"What? Can’t you answer a simple question?” Renard asked as he pulled out of the lane and into another. “When the divider is up, I cannot hear anything. Also, partially deaf in my right ear and I couldn't care less what Ulquiorra’s discussions are about.”

“Ouch,” Ulquiorra said in mock hurt, clutching his chest. “I’m wounded, Renard.”

“As you should be.”

Orihime couldn’t help the sparkle in her eyes as she watched Ulquiorra interact with Renard.  She had never seen him behave this way, and she found it very heartwarming. It was as though his usual reserved nature had melted away in the presence of the old, familiar personality.  A smile appeared on her face and she laughed at their banter.

It was the driver that rolled up the panel this time, leaving the two lovers to themselves in the backseat. “Flughafen Munich is outside of the city. So we’re going to be taking the A92 through it,” Ulquiorra explained as farmland passed by them. He eased back into the seat, looking out the window before he turned back to Orihime. “I know this will be strange for you but if you have any questions, I’ll answer them.”

Orihime nodded.  She had no idea what to expect, so she wasn’t overly concerned.  Only one thing weighed heavily on her mind: what would his parents think of her?

Orihime had reason to worry.  She hadn’t had parents of her own for nearly twenty years.  She had interacted with Tatsuki’s divorced mother and Ichigo’s bizarre father, but that was the extent of her experience with anyone’s parents.  Her own parents had been abusive drunks, who only had time to berate and terrify her. She really didn’t know what was proper behavior. She only hoped they would like her in spite of it all.

“Do you not like my new name for you?” Ulquiorra asked as they rode along. He slowly reached over and placed a hand on her thigh with a smirk on his face.

She looked at him with doe eyes, laying the innocent act on thick.  “It’s alright, I suppose, but if I am your pet, what do I call you?”

“You can call me whatever you’d like, my love.” Ulquiorra’s hand went higher, and he used his other hand to pull Orihime closer so he could kiss her.

Orihime squeaked.  They were on their way to meet his _parents._  She couldn’t arrive a rumpled, wanton mess.  “Ulquiorra!” she whined, pushing on his chest with the palm of her hand. “What if they know?”

It was then the divider came down a bit. “Might I remind young Master Cifer, there shall be no debauchery in the vehicle. Your father would be most displeased if the seats had to be cleaned,” Renard called out before the panel went back into its position.

“Ugh,” he huffed. “Orihime, they’re my parents. They know almost everything about me. My mom has a kind of innate sense if she likes someone I bring into my life. She knew--My mom knows when she doesn’t like someone.” Ulquiorra had almost said all three of his former lovers’ names.

Orihime looked like she was going to be sick.  “So what are my odds?” she asked, self-deprecatingly.  

The green-eyed man studied his fiancee, twisting his mouth to the side. “O, my mother took one look at Cirucci and said no, but Cirucci was dressed like trash. Loly, she didn’t like because Loly had no manners and a foul mouth. You are not dressed like you’re going to a club and you are the most polite person I’ve ever met. I think you are going to surprise my mother. I want my parents to love you as much as I do.”

Orihime liked doing crafts and Ulquiorra knew this. He even set up her supplies in one of the vacant rooms in their apartment. His mother was all about being crafty and hands-on with things. It was one thing that Edra Cifer took pleasure in when she wasn’t doing research on medications and other science adventures. Although Nel had gotten insider information from Loly about his parents and she hadn’t passed the mother test. Ulquiorra smiled at her and took her hand. “You’re not those women; you’re you and I appreciate the way you are.”

Orihime appreciated his words, but she doubted he had any idea what she was up against.   He had no “parent test” to face from her side. “Well, I’m glad you do, I just hope they do.   And what of your father? Do I have a higher or lower hurdle there?”

There was a snort of laughter. “You’re not that teal-headed twit,” Ulquiorra stated in a flat voice, looking out the window. “He already loves you because I’ve told him everything about you, well everything I could tell him about you. Some things are better left unsaid.”

Orihime’s lips pursed as she hummed dubious understanding.  “Well, my hair isn’t teal, there’s that at least,” she sighed and slumped back into her seat.  “I don’t want you to think I am unhappy about meeting them, Babe, it’s just a lot of pressure. I don’t think you can appreciate how much.  You’ll never have to do it for me,” she said, then watched his expression turn dark. “Don’t worry, that’s a good thing for us both. If you’d had met my parents you would have run as far and as fast away from me as possible,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest to emphasize her point.

She realized she was letting her insecurities get the better of her as she saw that her words didn’t have the intended mollifying effect.  She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m sure it will be fine, I’m just being stupid.”

Ulquiorra was going to answer her but his phone rang. He dug it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. It said SA Granz. He sighed, “Just a minute. Hallo?”

Pause. Ulquiorra tilted his head like was listening to something, his face becoming more and more disturbed as the seconds ticked by. “Woher weiss sie, dich ich hier bin?”

He scoffed. “Nein, Ich habe seit Monaten nicht mehr mit ihr gesprochen! Fucking hell, Szayel! Why?”

Ulquiorra ended the call and crossed his arms over his chest. It was nothing but bad news. Nel knew he was back in the country. All he would have to do is have Orihime and the jilted ex-lover avoid each other. That would be an easy thing to do, right? Should he say something to Orihime? He didn’t want to upset her. He also didn’t want any surprises should Nel just pop up. She had a tendency to do that.

Instead of saying anything to the redhead, Ulquiorra opened the divider and leaned forward. The house staff was the biggest group of gossiping people Ulquiorra knew. “What’s the news, Renard?”

“I beg your pardon?”  
  
“What’s going on around the house that I should know about?”  
  
“Oh,” Renard said and quickly glanced at the woman sitting in the back seat. “The same things really. Your mother hosted a dinner recently and...”

“Who was there?”  
  
“How should I know? I’m a driver, not a cook!” The driver replied. “Ask Elke when you get to the house.” Renard cleared his throat. “Sie ist zu dem Anwesen gekommen. Deine Mutter hat über deine Ankunft gesprochen, seit sie es herausgefunden hat.”

Ulquiorra nodded. He figured that Nel had found out through some avenue or channels of her mother. “How much longer until we reach my parents’ house?”  
  
Renard pressed a button on the dash. “Approximately twenty minutes. We’ll be getting on the A995 in a moment. How are you holding up, Miss Inoue?”

She bit her lower lip and nodded.  She didn’t know what happened during Ulquiorra’s phone call, but she was able to understand that he had received some unpleasant news.  It made her nervous. “I’m alright, Renard- _san_ , _machigatta_ , Mr. Renard --”  she paused to whine,  then stated, “Sorry Renard!  I will try to get it right!”

The older man laughed heartily. “Oh, I like her Ulquiorra. Your mother and father will find her a delight. She’s much better than Nelliel.”

That made Ulquiorra wince and he glared at the man before trying to see what Orihime’s reaction was.

Orihime was still wincing after her perceived slight toward the driver and didn’t have much more chagrin to go around.  Her eyes flitted to Ulquiorra momentarily at the mention of Nel’s name but that was it.

“We don’t speak about that person, Renard,” Ulquiorra said. He was now focused solely on Orihime. He mouthed an apology to her. He never said anything to his family that the subject of Nel was something taboo and forbidden. “We don’t have to meet my parents first, Orihime. If you’d like to see the city some before we can.”

“No!” She reacted before she thought, and embarrassed herself with her sudden outburst.  She put a hand to her chest and took a steadying breath and closed her eyes before starting over more calmly.  “No, I came here specifically to meet your family and I really want to do it. It’s my first priority.”

He nodded and smiled at her. “Then we will do that,” Ulquiorra said. “You know you don’t have the parent test. Instead, I had to go through each of your friends and none of them like me. I think my friends might be a little bit easier to please, except Nnoitra. He’s an asshole anyway.”

She laughed.  “Well, that is untrue.  Chad likes you a lot. So does Tatsuki, she told me she thought you were hot.”

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at this. If Orihime knew the text he had gotten from Chad in Spanish stating that he was a dickhead and if Chad could, he’d strangle Ulquiorra for the move he had pulled sending the picture to Ichigo. The German man said nothing about it though. “Well, that’s one or two out of six or seven people?”

“Well, I think Ichigo will come around.  He’s just stuck on the fact that he has a terminal case of bad timing,” she smiled apologetically toward Ulquiorra and continued, “the others were probably too drunk to remember who you are anyway.”

Chuckling, Ulquiorra shook his head. “I’m pretty sure your lesbian friend hates me for life. Something about stealing Orihime’s dignity and virtue.”

“Pfffffffffft!” she sputtered out the ridiculous sound instead of a laugh.  “She has been saying that to anyone who has entered a two-meter radius from me since I was fourteen.  You never had a chance.”

He nodded his head to agree with her statement. He probably never had a chance at being friends with Chizuru. “Does that mean she’s uninvited to the wedding?”

“Ah, the speaking of the wedding, Ulquiorra,” Renard said from the front of the vehicle. “Your mother has set up a meeting with a planner for sometime this week. I do know that much. She’s excited to have your wedding in Germany.”

“What?” Ulquiorra swung his head towards Renard and then back at Orihime. “We haven’t decided on anything yet! I don’t even want to have it on this continent! Nel could show up! She could stop the entire thing!”

Orihime frowned.  “From what I know of that crazy person, she might try.  It wouldn’t stop anything though,” she ground out. “As far as having the wedding here, I mean, I guess it makes sense.”

“No!” The word was sharp and left no argument for discussion.  “I want to see what your customs are like. I want you to plan this wedding, Orihime. I don’t want some canned wedding from some old bint who can’t tell the difference between burgundy and eggplant when it comes to color choices! Not that I’m saying we have to have purple in the scheme of things but--It’s just an example. I’ve been to numerous weddings in Europe. I want to have a Japanese wedding with you.”

Orihime was touched.  She had no idea that he had been thinking about this, and she never expected that he would want to deviate from his own customs to accommodate hers, especially when she had no relations to invite.  It would be simple to ask her few, unmarried and mobile friends to fly over to attend a wedding in Germany. She took Ulquiorra’s hand and threaded their fingers together, giving it a squeeze. “If it’s that important to you I will make sure it happens,” she said with a soft smile.

“It is important to me,” he replied to her then nuzzled her cheek. Ulquiorra inhaled the scent of her lotion that she had put on hours ago, the floral composition faint but still there. “When we are done with meeting my parents, I’m having my way with you, Future Mrs. Cifer,” he murmured.

Orihime shivered.  He never failed to make her weak in the knees, or the spine, or the brain, or anywhere else for that matter, when he told her how much he wanted her.  

It was quite an important thing for her, to feel wanted.  Most of her life, Orihime Inoue experienced the exact opposite.  Her parents, Toru and Satomi Inoue were not good people. Toru had graduated high school and took a job as a gas station attendant.  He made his money and drank it away most nights, only to wake up the next morning and start all over again. It would have been a fine way to live had he never met Satomi.  One night out at a pub the woman sauntered into the booth he and he coworkers were at and just kind of fell into his lap.

Satomi was not a good person.  She was conniving and manipulating, but not very bright.  She somehow thought this loser gas station attendant would treat her like a queen if she bedded him, despite his lack of means to do so.  So bed him she did, and when she fell pregnant shortly thereafter they had a town hall shotgun wedding and moved into a one-room apartment.  Sora Inoue, Orihime’s older brother, was born nine months later.

After Sora’s birth, life started to look up for the Inoue family.  Toru was promoted to assistant manager of the gas station, and Satomi stopped drinking so much.  When Sora was old enough to go to school, Satomi got a job at his kindergarten as a teacher’s aide.  The extra income bolstered the family’s budget and they were able to move into a two-bedroom apartment.  Things were good. They were good for many years until Toru lost his job. Instead of finding another one, he sat around drinking and watching television at home every day, blaming the economy or whatever scandal-ridden politician was in the news for his state of unemployment.  

Sora Inoue was a very responsible boy, and did his best to placate is an increasingly irritable father.  Due to Toru’s loss of income, Satomi took another part-time job at a convenience store at night. It was Sora who took over the household duties of cooking and cleaning in addition to his studies.  It was not an easy life for the boy, but he was managing. All that changed, however, during his last year of junior high school.

He came home after school one day to screaming.  His mother sat huddled on the floor of the kitchen, and Sora watched as his father beat her over her back with a house slipper, calling her names like ‘whore’ and ‘witch’.  He cried and begged for his father to stop, only to be backhanded into the next room. His father stopped after seeing the hurt in his son’s eyes and stomped back to his bedroom.  Sora rushed to his mother’s side, and as he raised his hand to his mother’s shoulders, she looked at him with venom in her eyes and said the words that would haunt him until his untimely death, “This is all your fault.  If you had never been born, I’d never be tied down to such a loser.”

It turned out that the cause of Toru’s tantrum was that Satomi was pregnant again.  Neither parent had the maturity or intelligence to deal with the situation appropriately.  If there was one blessing to be had, it was that Toru spent increasingly more time drinking outside the home, wasting money at Pachinko and coming home at all hours.  

Satomi quit her jobs at the convenience store when she discovered she was pregnant, and when she started to show, she was forced to quit the job at the kindergarten.  When Orihime Inoue was born on September 3, the family was destitute.

Toru was often gone for weeks at a time.  Satomi began to drink heavily, and when her booze money ran out, she decided on a new career path:  prostitution. She would bring strange men home at all hours of the day and night, and her new job did a decent job paying the bills.  However, that meant that the only person able and willing to take care of baby Orihime was Sora.

When Orihime was two years old, Toru suddenly started spending more time at home.  Satomi’s work didn’t stop, and neither did their abusive relationship toward one another, which soon spilled over to Sora and Orihime.  Orihime suffered her first broken bone at age two and a half. She had her first black eye at age three. The men her mother brought home sometimes proposed disgusting things when they learned there was a precocious toddler in the next room.  While Satomi never allowed her daughter to participate in her job duties, she would sometimes allow her to be present in the room during work.

Orihime was a good girl.  She listened to her mother.  She did what she was told.

She cried at night.  She didn’t know why she was afraid of Mama’s clients, but she was.

After Sora graduated from high school, he came home one afternoon to find his mother passed out in the living room and Orihime screaming from her bedroom.  Satomi had been drinking with a client and just let him hang out with her until she was too inebriated to know what was going on. When Sora found Orihime, there was a drunk man trying to remove her shirt and a small trash can fire in the corner from a carelessly tossed cigarette.  Sora took care of the situation. It did not take much effort to incapacitate his mother’s drunk client. He packed lightly, taking the cash his mother squirreled away in the closet, some of Orihime and his own clothes, and left. He didn’t bother with the trash can fire.

Later the news reported an apartment fire with three adult victims.  All three had died from smoke inhalation. Sora felt nothing. He stayed with friends for a few weeks until he was able to get a job at a pub that had a room available upstairs for him and Orihime to stay in for free for the short term.  The pub owners’ wife was a kind woman and helped to take care of little Orihime.

Orihime was a spunky kid with a big imagination.  She spoke well and liked to make up stories. She had nightmares, though.

She was well-liked by most adults, but kids her own age poked fun at her for her unusually light, reddish-brown hair.  She didn’t mind and took it in stride. When Orihime was old enough to start elementary school Sora moved them into an apartment.  Orihime was big enough to take on some simple household responsibilities on her own. She would often attempt to cook for herself and her brother, mixing bizarre concoctions that would succeed as often as they would fail, and she and Sora would always create outlandish names for her dishes.  They were happy at home.

Orihime was not happy at school.  The girls in her school were unkind to her, bullying her for her family situation, lack of money, and unusual looks.  She was a very pretty girl.  She attracted a lot of attention. The older she got, the more aggressive and jealous her female classmates became.  

One day when she was twelve years old, her brother came home from work with a bouquet of flowers and a gift for her.  He had just gotten a promotion and wanted to celebrate. Orihime had had a particularly trying day at school. She had tried to be gracious, accepting the flowers and offering her brother congratulations.  But when she opened the gift, she just couldn’t take it. Bright turquoise flower hair clips. They looked childish. They clashed with her school uniform. She sighed and lost her patience. She accused her brother of trying to make her unpopular, for attempting to make her look like a baby.  She stormed to her room and cried herself to sleep that night.

She left the next morning for school without saying goodbye.  When she arrived home after school, there was a police car in front of her building and an ambulance pulling up.  She ran toward the scene to see her brother’s mangled body draped over the street curb. She darted to his side and took him by the shoulders.  He was lucid long enough to make eye contact as she screamed his name. That was the last moment they had together.

After her brother’s death, Orihime lived alone in the apartment.  She had no relatives nearby, but Satomi had an aunt in Yamagata Prefecture who was notified of Sora’s death and agreed to help pay for Orihime’s living expenses until she could graduate from high school.  She would not agree to bring the young girl up to Yamagata to live with her and her family. She didn’t know Orihime and didn’t want her sister’s influence in her own home.

Orihime grew depressed.  Her nightmares grew worse, and she would often wake up in a sweat and breathing too hard.  When faced with particularly stressful situations, she would sometimes hyperventilate or pass out.   Her school counselor said it was panic attacks, and that it was all in her head and that the only thing she could do was grow a thicker skin and move on.

When she was thirteen, she met Tatsuki.  Her first real friend. From there, she met Tatsuki’s neighbor, Ichigo.  The three of them ended up at the same high school, where she met her other friends, Chad, Keigo, Chizuru, and Uryu.  Her life improved with these strong friendships. Her grades were good. She kept herself out of trouble. She learned art and karate.  She studied English.

She still had nightmares and panic attacks, but they were fewer and farther between.  She felt that as long as she had her friends, she would have all the support she needed.

Then they graduated.  Her little makeshift family of friends drifted away, and she finally realized how truly alone she was.  Always alone.

Orihime knew that once she married Ulquiorra, she would never be alone again. She looked out the window the SUV surprised to see they were pulling into a driveway. A long driveway with a gate that went across the black asphalt surface.   She remembered to breathe. In and out. In and out. Today would be the day that would be the beginning of the end of Orihime Inoue. That name could be engulfed in flames too, as far as she was concerned. The only thing that mattered to he was her future with Ulquiorra.  Orihime Cifer would never look back.

Ulquiorra smiled at the redhead. She looked happy, beaming as they passed the fence that lined the property. A wave of relief swept over him seeing her looking around, taking in the gardens and the fountains that lined the drive. Then the house came into view. It had to be massive to his fiancee but Ulquiorra’s parents had called it a small mansion. It was a traditional looking place with two floors and an attic. It even had a huge stone-lined basement.

“Welcome to my childhood home, Orihime,” he told her as they came to a stop in front of the massive front doors in the circular driveway.

She regarded her fiance and kissed his cheek.  He seemed so glad to be home; so pleased to share with her where he came from.  She felt a fleeting pang of something similar to envy. It didn’t last more than a moment before it was washed away by the joy she felt at seeing the love of her life so animated and happy.  “What are we waiting for then, love?” she asked with a smile, before letting Renard usher her out of the car and onto the estate of Mikhail and Edra Cifer.

 

***

 

"Edra, you need to sit down."

 

"I can't I need to see when they get here. You don't understand!"

 

The Spanish woman was pacing between the windows in the foyer. She and Mikhail were standing there waiting for their son to arrive. Her hands twisted as she wrung them with each of her steps.

 

She was very wary of this woman that her son was calling his future wife. Why would they be getting married? Had he knocked the woman up? “Mikhail, you don’t suppose he got her pregnant? Do you think he pulled another stunt like Nel said he did? That he got her pregnant then ran?”

  
The older Cifer scoffed and looked sternly at his wife. “That woman is a liar. If she had been pregnant don’t you think Ulquiorra would have come back? Don’t you think we would have seen our supposed grandchild by now?”

 

Edra knew that her son would never skip out on such a responsibility. They had raised him better than that, duty over pleasure. If he was marrying this woman--Maybe this one was just like the rest of those harlots that her child had dragged in.

Then she saw the SUV. “Mikhail! They’re here!” Edra cried, wringing her hands more. She was fretting. She wanted this meeting to go smoother than the last three and invite Orihime back to their home at any time. She had immediately given the other women a look that said that they wouldn’t be fit to eat from the kitchen trash bins.

Renard got out; Edra could see his head just above the roof of the SUV. She saw Ulquiorra open one of the rear doors. She just got a glimpse of copper colored hair. Maybe he wasn’t marrying a Japanese woman. The woman glanced at her husband. “You don’t suppose she’s American, do you?”

The older Cifer male huffed and rolled his eyes. “It would be worse if she were related to the rest of the--”

“Oh shut it, Mikhail.”

“Can we go out and greet our son?”

"No, I want to see this woman first.”

She didn’t have a choice in the matter. Mikhail opened the door and pulled her along with him as he exited the dwelling. When Edra spotted the petite and demure looking woman, she was quite surprised.

_She_ was Japanese. She made a note to ask if the young female colored her hair. The way the woman bowed and nodded her head as Renard spoke was respectful. None of the other women had been so courteous to their staff.

Edra’s heart swelled when she saw Ulquiorra as he unloaded their bags. His hair had gotten so long and he looked skinnier than when he left over a year ago. Tch, he wasn’t eating properly!

When the two men and woman approached the house, laden with bags and suitcases, the older woman studied the other female. She looked around with wonder in her eyes and not a trace of greed. A genuine smile came over her face.

“Told you.”

"Shut it.”

“Mom! Dad!” Ulquiorra said, he turned to look back at the woman urging her to stand beside him. Edra knew her son was head over heels in love with her. The way his eyes sparkled and the grin infected his face was ridiculous. She could remember a time when she had been that in love. “This is Inoue Orihime--I mean Orihime Inoue, my fiancee.”

As Mikhail started down the steps to hug his son, Edra smirked and walked towards the woman. “Such a rude boy, not even telling your wife our names!” Edra scolded her son. She clasped the woman’s hand in both of hers. “Hello, Orihime. I’m Edra and this is my husband, Mikhail. Welcome to Germany and our home. Come inside, we have much to discuss.”


	35. Meet the Parents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The use of pet and daddy in this chapter are merely nicknames. They have a purpose. This is not a daddy kink. This is not a master/pet kink. JKR and EIV are switching up pet names for our two lovebirds. You can only say baby so many times until it feels like you’re in dirty dancing.

The day had been long. There was so much catching up to do. His mother had been hovering, around Orihime mostly, since he entered the house and brought their bags inside then up to his room. Ulquiorra told his mother that he would give Orihime a tour of the house later. Right now they just needed to rest. Edra wouldn’t hear a word of it, he knew this. His room looked the same as when he left it over three years ago. The same dark gray walls, curtains, and carpet adorned the room. A copy of his black leather chair sat in the living room of his apartment sat near the window.

 

Nothing was dusty or dirty. One of the staff must have come in here and cleaned once in a while. He sat the bags down on the floor and then flopped down on his bed, sighing. He was home. He had brought his fiancee to meet his parents and it seemed like everything was going smoothly. It was all going too well.

 

If he knew his former girlfriend, she was feeling scorned and slighted from being blocked and unable to contact him. Nel would go to any lengths to see him or trip him up, that much was apparent. He had kept running into her when they first met. She was always around when he was out and about. Not that he minded at first after they became friends, but the night he spilled that drink on her, it was an annoyance.  

 

She always seemed to be around.

  
  
That night, he and Nel fell into a bed at a posh hotel, fucking until the morning hours. Ulquiorra could remember how her body felt in his hands, gripping her hips from behind as he used her roughly. It disgusted him. He would _never_ treat Orihime like that.

 

After that romp in the borrowed room, Nel was always around him. She had seduced him. She’d swindled him. He had eaten out of the palm of her hand; that’s how smitten he’d been with her. All Ulquiorra had been was a sugar daddy to the teal-haired woman. It was obvious after the necklace incident that Nel was no better than Cirucci or Loly.

 

It became even more apparent when he noticed her attention toward Bazz and Grimmjow. Everything came to a head on New Years Eve. They’d gone to a party. The two men were there. Nel flirted with them. She danced with them. She looked at Ulquiorra when she did it. Nel was seeing how far she could push this.

 

Ulquiorra gave her enough rope to hang herself. He left the party. Nel didn’t come home that night. She claimed she stayed with Loly, but Loly wouldn’t leave hickeys or bruises on Nel. He never mistreated Nel for her indiscretions. He went on with life as they knew it. On Valentine’s Day, Nel threw a fit because he didn’t get her some insanely expensive designer necklace. He accepted things for what they were. He planned on taking Nel to Japan with him as a surprise but instead, he left her in their apartment, moved his important stuff to his parents and let her keep the rest.

 

He spent six lonely months in Yonezawa before coming across the infamous O’s letter. The rest was history.

 

With a sigh he hoisted himself off the bed. Ulquiorra spent enough time thinking about Nel and feeling sorry for himself. He wanted to rescue Orihime from his mother. As he made his way downstairs to where he left the women, Ulquiorra heard his mother laughing followed by Orihime.

  
  
Edra did not laugh with Cirucci. She did not talk with Loly. She did not even speak, look at or acknowledge Nel. He peeked into the front parlor to see his mother sitting next to Orihime with a photobook.

 

Fifteen minutes into Orihime meeting his parents and she was already being shown embarrassing family photos. He pulled back from the door and held back a groan. His father found him. “Mother showing off your baby pictures? C’mon then, let’s have a drink,” Mikhail said grabbing his son by the shoulder and leading him down the main hallway. “We need to have a talk anyway.”

 

***

 

“Is she pregnant?” Mikhail asked as his son closed the heavy wooden door.

 

“What? No!” Ulquiorra stated, flustered. “What makes you think that?”

  
  
“Is Nel’s child yours?”

  
  
“What? Where are these questions coming from?” Ulquiorra folded his arms over his chest as his father filled up two glass tumblers with some dark liquid. The older man held out the glass to him and he grabbed it. “Why would Orihime be pregnant? Why would you ask if Nel’s kid is mine?”

  
  
His father shrugged. “I’m curious. She seems to be lovely but your mother has taken a liking to the girl. She’ll be monopolizing her time. This is the woman you spent _my_ money on?”

  
  
Ulquiorra nodded. “Yes, Vati. She’s the woman I paid money--”

  
  
“To a Mr. Iba?”

  
  
“You know?”

  
  
“You told me the basics. I watched the account and then made my own inquiries. He seems like a decent fellow,” Mikhail offered. “Sit. Drink. We need to celebrate your homecoming.”

 

***

 

It was all Orihime could do not to jump up and down as she absorbed the images laid before her.  Ulquiorra. Baby Ulquiorra. Toddler Ulquiorra. Little boy Ulquiorra in private school uniform, complete with knee socks and shorts.  Awkward teenage Ulquiorra with limp hair and an angsty expression. Ulquiorra budding into young adulthood holding a high school diploma.   

 

Orihime was absolutely delighted.  

 

He appeared to be a serious child; he didn’t smile in most of the pictures.  As his mother described each one, she fought the urge to touch the images. She wished she could have known him then.

 

Edra pulled out one picture from the book and handed it to the young woman. “This is when he loved Batman. It was Batman everything. My sister-in-law still buys him things with the logo on it. It’s a joke between us.”

 

Orihime giggled in spite of herself. “I believe I have seen something with that logo in his closet…” she admitted before she could censor herself.

 

The woman smiled. “I’m sure he has a shirt or two with it on there. I don’t know. Here is another picture.” Edra gave Orihime another picture and this time it was Ulquiorra as a boy curled up in a chair reading a book. He was sleeping with his thumb in his mouth. “He’s loved books from a young age.”

 

Orihime nodded.  Her heart throbbed for that little boy in the picture, and for the man she knew now.  She didn’t stop herself from reaching out and tracing the sweep of his hair in the photo.  “He loves them still,” she murmured. She took a deep, steadying breath, looked at her future mother-in-law, and asked, “Did he tell you that we met in a book?”

 

Mrs. Cifer’s eyebrows jumped up and she turned her duller green eyes towards the woman. “You met in a book? No, he never said anything. The last time I talk to Ulquiorra was on Christmas Day.”

 

Orihime’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.  The day they had met in real life, under unfortunate circumstances, had been Christmas Day.  That was the day they discovered their real identities; the day they inadvertently started living together.  She wasn’t sure how much Mrs. Cifer would want to know, or how much Ulquiorra would want her to know. She thought it over for a few seconds.  This was potentially the only mother she would ever have. She wanted a good relationship.

 

“Well, we _did_ meet in a book.  But actually, the first time we met in person was on Christmas last year.  In fact, he had been on the phone right before he spoke to me,” she admitted.

 

“I don’t pry into Ulquiorra’s life. It’s your business and it’s his business. I just want to know what kind of person you are, Orihime,” Edra said. It was a warning just as much as a cautionary tale. “My son is what you would call a loner. He mostly stays to himself. He likes his privacy. How much do you know about the former heifers he has dated?”

 

Orihime felt mortified at first, sure she had overstepped her bounds, until Edra asked the question. She shook off her embarrassment and regarded to older woman cautiously.  “I know very little about the ones before the last one, but I have had the misfortune of speaking with _her._  She was not pleasant.  At least not to me.”

 

Edra gave a very unladylike snort. “They’re all cows. They chased after him for money. Nel was the worst one. You poor girl. I wouldn’t talk to Nelliel when Ulquiorra brought her here to meet us. I snubbed her. I took one look at her and said, absolutely not!”

 

“You can imagine, Ulquiorra was not happy with me that day. Is your hair done professionally child? It’s such a pretty color.”

 

Orihime blushed and ducked her head.  “I don’t dye my hair, um, I know it’s unusual for a Japanese.  It’s always been this way.”

 

“No matter, you are a beautiful young woman. The way my husband said that Ulquiorra spoke about you was nothing but love. I can see he adores you. Let me tell you a secret; Orihime, you are that boy’s entire world,” Edra said quietly, studying the woman sitting beside her. She patted her knee, “Now, tell me about yourself. What do you do for a living? Do you have hobbies? Are you in school? Ulquiorra was going to be a doctor and follow in his father’s footsteps but those women--” She waved a hand in disgust. “He thought he’d rather teach and appear poor than do something he liked.”

 

Orihime blushed again, but looked at Edra confused.  “I know he didn’t love teaching English at at the conversation schools, but he seems to enjoy working at the university.  He’s never mentioned wanting to be a doctor,” she paused to contemplate it. “I can’t even imagine it!” she smiled, but didn’t laugh, looking down at her hands.  

 

“Anyway, you asked about me… I’m nothing special.  I work at Kyushu University Hospital as an art therapy assistant.  I am not _remotely_ qualified for this job; I got it because I am friends with a medical student and got along with the program coordinator during my interview.  I have no education past high school.” she cringed visibly as she explained her situation. “Anyway, I used to work at a hobby and crafting store and taught art classes there in Yonezawa, where we used to live.  When we moved down south I got a job at a similar place but, um, I… it didn’t last long. I had a hard time adjusting to living in Fukuoka, I guess.”

 

She blew out a breath to shake off the awkwardness of recalling her separation from Ulquiorra, then smiled.  “I really do enjoy doing crafts and art projects though, so I love my job. I also like to read and listen to music.  I am a black belt in karate, too, believe it or not! But I don’t like fighting, so I never competed or anything.”

 

Edra listened to Orihime talk and she watched the woman closely. “It sounds like you’re uncomfortable in Fukuoka… I’m not going to judge you by your education. Some of the wisest people I know never furthered their education. Ulquiorra has a passion for books and I’ve always suspected that he writes but could never find anything that proved this theory. He didn’t want to be a doctor. He was trying to make his father proud.”  
  
Ulquiorra’s mother smiled at the younger woman. “I like to do some crafts, mostly knitting and embroidery.”

 

Orihime’s eyes lit up.  “Oh? I am not very skilled with needlework, but I do very much enjoy it.”

 

“We are going to get along perfectly well. To be honest, I’m not great at needlework either but I do enjoy stabbing things over and over when I’ve had a difficult day at work,” Edra teased. She grew serious.  “Orihime, I want you to know that as long as you treat my son right, we will never have a problem.”

 

Orihime’s face showed that she took the woman’s words seriously as she nodded.  “I don’t want to… I mean, I do want to,” she sighed and straightened her shoulders toward Edra.  “I love your son. I love him with my whole heart. I will protect his heart with everything I have.   _Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu_ ,” she ended with a deep bow.

 

Edra Cifer nodded. “I have plans for you while you’re here. I think I will take you into Munich and parade you around. We have a meeting with a wedding planner. There’s a lunch with some friends of mine. They’re all dying to meet the woman who captured my son’s heart. For now though, let’s go find our men.”

 

Orihime fought the urge to flinch at the mention of the wedding planner.  She felt it best for Ulquiorra to field that fly ball on his own. She nodded and followed Edra out of the room, wondering if it would be possible to keep up with the cultured woman.

 

***

 

They sat in the dining room; the fancy one. The one his parents used for high brow guest and diplomats or whatever they were. “You didn’t need to go through this trouble, Mother. We could have eaten in the--”

  
  
“Nonsense!” Edra said. “I’ve not seen you in over a year. I’ve not spoken to you in months! My daughter-in-law needs to be treated with respect and I am showing--”

 

UIquiorra rolled his eyes. “Renard tells me you’ve hired a wedding planner.”

  
  
“Yes,” the woman sighed. Edra looked at her husband as if she expected him to back her on this. Mikhail ignored her studying something on his phone. “Why is this a problem?” She asked after her husband was of no help.

 

“I plan on getting married to Orihime in Japan,” he answered. “She deserves it. I don’t want to see her in some fussed up gown. I don’t want women to talk about her behind her back. She deserves to have her customs followed. What’s so special about a German wedding besides the beer? And don’t deny it, I know the woman you probably hired and you can fire her.”

 

His mother’s mouth formed a thin line. “What about your bride? Orihime, what are your thoughts? When do you two plan to wed?”

  
  
Orihime looked to Ulquiorra with panic in her eyes.  They had never had a chance to talk about the details.  He had only ever mentioned getting married in Japan on the plane ride several hours ago.  She didn’t want to cross his mother or put Ulquiorra in a disadvantageous position. “Uh, well,  I just want everyone to be happy,” she said with a nervous laugh.

 

“Mother, I just asked her several weeks ago. We have lives in Japan. We’ve--we just got back together, Orihime and I have not had the time to think about it.”

 

“ _What_? You got back together?” Edra was baffled at this announcement. She hit Mikhail lightly on the shoulder. “Did you know about this?”

 

The older Cifer gave his wife that trademark Cifer side eye. “No, it’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Mikhail stated. He was lying but he wasn’t going to say anything because then his head would be on a plate instead of that fancy tuna entree Edra had made their cook prepare.

 

“Hmph. So, what happened?”

 

Orihime looked like she was going to be sick.  She glanced at Ulquiorra, who seemed preoccupied by something on the table, then made the mistake of looking at Edra.  The woman’s glare could melt steel. Orihime didn’t stand a chance. “Ah, well, you see…”

 

“It was Nel. _Nel spun her bullshit_ . It was a misunderstanding. She lied to Orihime,” Ulquiorra said, each of his words filled with venom. He wasn’t about to let his mother unleash a tirade against the woman he loved. “Nelliel told Orihime--I’m not exactly sure what was said but the pictures… I can understand why I was asked to leave and she didn’t do it, Mother. We were staying with Orihime’s friends' place and they asked me to leave, so I did. If you want to yell at someone, go find that--”

  
  
“Master Cifer will watch his language at my table,” said a plump and elderly woman as she rolled in a cart. Her English was accented and barely understandable.

 

The dark-haired male huffed, “Orihime, this is Elke, my parents’ cook.”

 

Orihime bowed toward the woman but didn't say anything.  The crone frightened Orihime with her demeanor, and the redhead wasn’t entirely sure she spoke English.

 

“So, why did you allow Nel into your life, Ulquiorra?” Edra asked. She glared at her child in a stern manner.

 

“I was over her a long time ago. She kept bothering me,” he replied. Ulquiorra looked over at Orihime who sat beside him and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I realized that Orihime was worth more than Nel’s supposed friendship.”

 

Orihime bit at the inside of her cheek.  Although she believed Ulquiorra now, the memory of what happened only a few months ago was still painful.  She squeezed his hand back, more to reassure herself than anything else. A thought kicked around her head as she did, and she knew she had to speak up and do her part to put the issue to bed.  “That woman has been trying to contact Ulquiorra since I have known him. She had been angry when she first learned of my existence, and when she spoke with me directly, she told me many lies and called me many bad things.  My feelings were hurt and my roommates were overprotective. Ulquiorra… I think he thought I would never forgive him. He was wrong. I couldn’t forget him.”

 

Edra looked at her son’s future wife and then her gaze shifted to her child. Both were staring at each other like the sun rose and set on the other. It was sweet and she had never seen Ulquiorra look that way at anyone. Mrs. Cifer made a decision. She was going to find Nelliel. She was going to rub salt into old wounds. She would show Nel how a woman was supposed to treat a man. She’d used the Japanese woman as a slap to Nel’s face. For everything that the other woman had done to her child, Nelliel would pay for all the lies and greed she harbored.

  
  
“You two look like the perfect couple now,” Mikhail said. He knew how his wife got during discussions. It was mostly why he ignored her. “Let us eat, before Elke sets us all on fire.”

 

Orihime nodded.  She was starting to get tired; it had been a long day of travel and meeting parents and she was looking forward to lying down long enough to prepare for whatever Edra had in store for her.  She wanted to indulge Ulquiorra’s mother, but she was worried. She didn’t know what to expect.

 

After the dinner was over, Ulquiorra grabbed Orihime by the hand and took her on a tour of the house. It wasn’t a long drawn out one. He was just showing her the basic layout of things. He finally showed her to his room, closing the door once they both were inside. He pulled her close, kissing her. “Alone at last,” he said to the redhead. “I’d make love to you but you look about dead on your feet.”

 

She sighed, looking at him with a resigned expression.  “I know, I just am kind of worried about tomorrow. Your mom wants to take me out and show me off?  I think that’s what she said. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do… I guess I’ll just be myself but I think it will be a lot of, um, _aisastsu_.    You know, like being proper and not really saying how you feel.”

 

Ulquiorra shook his head. “O, we just got off a plane. My mom knows we’re going to be tired. She knows what jet lag is. I will not allow her to take you anywhere without resting. If you don’t sleep or get some rest then you can’t be your charming self. I know. Those all night love-making sessions that we’ve had, you’re cranky the next morning,” he teased, giving her a kiss.

 

She smirked and flopped down on the bed.  “I hope they liked me,” she said, her hand covering her eyes and a small smile playing on her lips.  She had a good feeling.

 

“My dad thinks you’re a vast improvement over the other women I’ve had them meet. If my mom did not like you, she wouldn’t have talked to you or showed you pictures that you really shouldn’t have looked at. She wouldn’t have offered to show you off,” Ulquiorra knelt down in front of the woman and smiled. “She was an impassive statue with the others. The fact that she talked to you means she accepts you.”

 

Orihime rolled over onto her belly and nodded before putting her cheek down on the mattress, facing her lover.  “Well, thanks for the encouragement, but I have to say I’m feeling rather confident,” she bent her legs at the knees and lazily kicked her feet in the air, before adding, “So, do you think this whole trip is going to be meeting people?  I mean, how big is your family?” she asked with a sleepy smile.

 

The green-eyed man sank his teeth into his lip. Looking at Orihime like this brought so many ideas and images to his head. He tried to swallow but his throat was dry. Ulquiorra could see her body outlined with how her clothing draped around her. He wanted to have his way with her on the plane. He wanted to have his way with her in the car. He wanted to have his way with her on his bed right now.

  
  
“You know, I’ve never asked,” Ulquiorra said but paused. He wasn’t sure if it was even the right time to ask or even if it was appropriate. She knew a lot more about his sexual history than he knew about hers. “I’m curious. How many guys have you been with?”

 

His question wiped the sleepy look right off her face.  Her first inclination was to answer honestly right away, with a bit of indignation, but then as she thought about it, she realized it might be more interesting to go about it a different way.  She raised her head up off the mattress and folded her arms underneath her chin, then asked, “What do you think?”

 

He shook his head, eyes still glued to her backside. “Dunno, three? Less than ten.”

 

She scoffed.  “Guess again.”

 

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow and moved so that he could grab one of Orihime’s ankles. “Less than three or more than ten?”

 

She pursed her lips and raised a dubious brow at him.  “Do you really have to ask?”

 

His mouth dropped open. “Are you saying that--You let Ginjo take your--And I’ve only...” Ulquiorra was absolutely floored. If Orihime was telling him what he thought she was… She had only had two lovers. That asshole Ginjo and him. Did that mean he was the first to touch her like that? Was he the first--It was too much for his mind to comprehend. Orihime was practically an innocent babe compared to some of the women he’d been with. Most of his sexual education had come from Nel. “I guess that explains a little.”

 

“A little what?”  she asked, curious about what he could be thinking that caused his face to flicker with so many competing thoughts.

 

He let go of her leg and climbed onto the bed so that his hips were pressed against her ass. Ulquiorra leaned forward, bracing his weight on his arms until he was close to the back of Orihime’s head and her ear. “Why you are so tight; why you’re not used to receiving oral sex; why it seems like you’re surprised every time I’m inside you; Ginjo’s Japanese. He’s probably not well endowed.”

 

“That’s just a stereotype,” she said, biting back a whine, then added, under her breath, “You’re not wrong about Ginjo, though.”

 

Ulquiorra rolled his hips against her and chuckled. “O, I’ve seen porn. I know what I’m talking about. So, tell me...” His tone was teasing. “Who is better?”

 

She hummed in appreciation.  Despite being absolutely knackered, the feel of him pressed up against her was doing things to her body that made her exhaustion feel like a fleeting setback. “I think I’ll need to sample the merchandise to make an assessment,” she finally purred, pushing her hips up toward him.

 

“Heh.” Ulquiorra started to chuckle but it was cut off as her body pressed against his. She was serious about this. “Orihime, do you think you can be quiet?”

 

“It depends how much better you are.  You used to live next door. You know how quiet I can be,” she answered, grinding her ass on his length.

 

A groan escaped his mouth. He shifted until he was off the bed, unbuttoning and throwing his shirt onto the floor. He didn’t take his jeans off, just unzipped and unbuttoned them. “Get on your hands and knees, _Pet_ ,” Ulquiorra demanded quietly.

 

She turned her head with an innocent expression, then slowly did as he said,  then looked back at him once more and whispered, “Like this, Daddy?” She was teasing.  She thought it would be _cute._

 

If he had an ounce of blood left in his brain, Ulquiorra wouldn’t know it. It wouldn’t have mattered. His cock was straining against the material of his boxers and the denim. He licked his lips. Orihime looked so feminine in her outfit. It was just a simple skirt and blouse. It was an ensemble that she had worn to work many times. He'd seen her in it dozens of times but it never registered as clothing he should have taken note of. He knew after tonight, he'd remember it.

 

“Baby,” he stated, in a rich, husky voice. Ulquiorra knew he should have just walked away but instead, he moved towards his fiancee and got on the bed again. It didn’t take much for his hands to push up the skirt or bend down enough so that he could run his tongue through that soft pink skin between her legs. He did this several times, savoring the taste of her in his mouth. He pushed on her back slightly to get her to lift her ass higher. When her torso and face were lying against the mattress, Ulquiorra went back to what he was doing, lapping at Orihime’s pussy with long strokes.

 

Every time she gave a whimper or a moan, Ulquiorra would bring his hand down on Orihime’s pale ass. The smacks weren’t hard, just enough to make her yelp or gasp in surprise. He was enjoying this. Even if she came on his face or his fingers, he was still going to fuck her like this on all fours, gripping her hips or shoulders and driving into her. He growled with that thought, his mouth against her clit.

 

Orihime was at her limit already.  She was trying just to hold on and not scream out; the things he was doing with his tongue had already brought her to the edge twice.  She had only held off from not coming all over his mouth by envisioning her silence with Ginjo.  That had walked her back from the edge enough to keep from shattering under his lips. Then he started again, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold back a third time. She opened her mouth wide in an attempt to keep the sound of her panting breaths to a minimum.  When she finally felt her dam begin to break, she buried her face in the pillow in front of her, biting down and screaming into it.

 

Ulquiorra had pressed two fingers into her that liquid warmth, seeing how she wrapped around those digits so tightly. Fuck.

 

He could feel the pre-come seeping through the fabric of his boxers. All he wanted to do was press his dripping cock into her core. He wanted to tease her by rubbing the head of his dick against her clit and entrance but by the way she was coming, it was almost enough to make him lose control right there.

 

It took a lot of willpower to push his pants down just enough so that his cock sprang free, brushing against her ass. He grit his teeth, seeing her hips move towards him. Fuck it, he thought. Ulquiorra didn’t wait for her orgasm to subside sliding his cock inside of her. He could feel her body twitch around him as he ran his hands up her back to the woman’s neck.

 

Sometimes being the tender lover was repetitive and if Orihime was going to be fucking him for the rest of their lives… Variety would be a good thing.

 

Orihime let a long, deep moan escape into the pillow, and she braced herself against Ulquiorra’s advance, shimmying her hips slightly to encourage him further.  She wanted to know: how far could he push into her at this angle?

 

After he had entered her he just kind of stopped for a moment, and she took this as a sign.  She dropped her shoulders into the mattress and lifted her ass as high as it would go, bringing her hip bones right into his grasp.

 

Well, it seemed like she knew what to do. He gave an experimental thrust into her, watching as every inch sank into Orihime again. Even when she was on top of him, he never watched how his cock disappeared into her body. Ulquiorra was too busy watching her face and the way her tits bounced when not confined by a bra. Every time they had sex, they had been totally naked.

  
  
This… this was erotic somehow. He groaned softly, running his hands down her back again, digging his nails in slightly. It was just enough to see her arch and squirm. The clothing must have dulled the sensation anyway. The way she moved on him was mind blowing. He grabbed her hips with his hands, stopping her movement. “If you do that, I’m going to fuck you silly, O. I’m trying not to come so quickly,” Ulquiorra said to her as he let his hips snap into her with some strength.

 

The air was forced out of her lungs in a strangled grunt, followed by a sharp inhalation. This was new.  He never had any problem filling her before, but this angle was different, and there was a bit of discomfort involved.  However, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant, and the slight fear she felt was intensifying the experience. He paused again after that thrust, and she cooed, “Are you going to fuck me?”

 

Ulquiorra took that question as a challenge. She was obviously testing him. He would take a guess that he would have to pass this with flying colors. Once it felt like he was in control of himself, he began a demanding pace of sliding in and out of her body, not letting her have an inch of space. He grabbed a handful of her red locks while still gripping her hip with one hand, slamming into her over and over.

 

The feel of his hand in her hair made her turn her face to the side, catching a glimpse of him with one dark eye, and showing him the result of his efforts:  her cheeks were blotchy and her parted red lips were swollen and glossy. No sound left her throat beside the ragged, raspy breaths that matched his pounding.

 

He wanted to tell her everything he wanted to do to her. Ulquiorra wanted to tell Orihime every fantasy and desire he had concerning her and her body. His eyes closed briefly just thinking about how she made his body react. The moan that left him seemed to be too loud in his ears. The way she was looking at him did nothing to dampen the lust coursing through his body. He couldn’t keep up this brutal thrusting into her though. He was so close to coming. He’d been in a tug of war with his body ever since the plane touched down. He’d been keyed up since they stepped foot into the airport.

  
  
“Fuck, Pet. You feel so good, Baby,” Ulquiorra said.

 

She bit her lip and hummed a whiny little hum.  “I’m gonna… Fuck me, Daddy.” She was begging for it.  “I need it, please…”

 

His mouth opened and all the breath left his lungs. Ulquiorra thought he had a few more minutes before he came so he was quite unprepared as he found the tension in his body breaking. Wave after wave of bliss and pleasure hit him. He found his fingers tightening on Orihime’s body, trying to stop her movements and then he was coming inside her. Pulse after pulse hit his nerves which made him twitch inside of her.

 

She was shattered, and as his cock pulsated her walls sucked him in and rippled over his length and she came hard on it.  A low groan escaped her lips and when he was finished, her thighs started to shake and she fell into a puddle of spent woman underneath him.

 

Ulquiorra could barely keep himself up but managed to fall onto his back beside her. It took him several minutes to figure out which way was up and if he remembered how to form words.  “Orihime…?”

 

It was all she could do not to burst out into giggles.  She had been fucked into oblivion, and she was giddy about it.  She grinned with her eyes closed. “Yes dear?” she asked, innocent as pie.

 

“Make you a deal,” he huffed. He looked over at her, seeing her face. Ulquiorra didn’t think he could fall any more in love with her. “Whenever you want to get fucked like that, just say that word, okay?”

 

“Which one?” she asked, a few breathless giggles escaping, and her grin expanding so that tiny dimples were starting to show in her cheeks.

 

He narrowed his eyes at her and then sat up. Ulquiorra smacked her ass again in a playful manner and then kissed his woman. “You know _which_ word I’m talking about, _Pet_.”

 

“Hmmm,” she said thoughtfully, then tipped her chin up to capture his lips again, then pulled back and looked up at him mischievously, and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, _Daddy.”_

 

“Does my queen need another sampling of the goods?” He asked, smirking. “Or are you too tired for me to go down on you?”

 

Orihime chuckled in a very unintelligent manner.  “Her majesty is prepared to enter a statement onto the record, that Lord Cifer’s cock is indeed superior and wins the sex trophy--” she wanted to say more, but she succumbed to those giggles finally.

 

It didn’t take much for Ulquiorra to flip the redhead over. He knew how to make her giggling stop.

 

Sometime in the middle of the night, Ulquiorra woke up with long red hair covering his face and Orihime laying on top of him, practically wrapped around him. It was rather chilly in the room but it was probably because his mother was having hot flashes so the cooling system was set to Arctic temperatures. He smiled sleepily as he maneuvered Orihime off of him and under the blankets. Next he stood and shed the rest of his clothes, then joined her. She snuggled up to him, throwing a leg over his hip.

  
  
This was his room but this wasn’t his bed. His bed smelled like them. It smelled like her lotion and his laundry detergent. It smelled like sex. This bed that they were laying in smelled like cedar and a faint trace of moth balls.

 

It was okay… They had an entire month to make it smell like their bed at home.


	36. Barnaby

Ulquiorra woke to Orihime sitting on the side of the bed. The sun was shining; it was clearly morning. He felt rested. She looked apprehensive though. Something was clearly bothering her. He scooted over the surface of the huge bed and pulled her into his lap. “What’s wrong?”

 

She didn’t say anything, mostly shrugged.

 

“Orihime, talk to me.”

 

“I just--”

 

“You’re feeling inadequate again. Stop,” Ulquiorra said. “Who cares if my parents like you or don’t? I love you.”

  
The woman lifted a shoulder and let it fall again. She was clearly not over the feeling she had endured of being examined.  She had expected as much from his mother; to be protective of her only son. That’s the way normal parents were supposed to act. “I care,” she replied.

 

“My mom is a… She’s a hard ass. She means well. I’m her only kid. She just wants the best for me. If we had a kid, wouldn’t you want the same?” He sighed. Ulquiorra pointed to the closed door on the other side of the bed. “If you want to get cleaned up there’s a full bathroom behind that door over there. It might help you feel better about things.”

 

“Ulquiorra, you misunderstand,” she said wistfully.  “I know your mother loves you. And I know if we ever have children, I will love them fiercely.”  She blew a breath out of her nose before she met his eyes. Hers were troubled. “It’s just that, my mother…  She didn’t.” She stood and turned her back to him, not wanting him to see her face as she admitted her own patheticness, instead going through her suitcase and looking for a bathrobe.  “It’s a big deal for me to see the way your mother cares about you. It’s kind of mind-blowing.” She spared a smile for him before she went into the bathroom.

 

Ulquiorra had known from an early age that his mother would do anything for him. Although Edra didn’t have much time as he grew older because of her work and their company, he knew his mother. She was there for each of the women he’d brought into his life and two of the breakups. He hadn’t included her in the one with Nel. It seemed like his mother would have gone batshit insane on Nel… Thinking about it, Nel deserved it.

 

On the other hand… He never thought about the fact that meeting his parents might affect Orihime poorly. He knew that she didn’t grow up around family. It had been her against the world. He just wanted her to feel loved. He just wanted her to have a family that wasn’t comprised of a ragtag band of friends. Ulquiorra wanted Orihime to be his family. He did not want the love of his life to feel like she was alone ever again.

 

This had to be hard for her coming from nothing and being shoved into a life of having everything that she could possibly want or need. For Ulquiorra, it was the other way around. He went from having everything to nothing but it was by choice. He always had his family though. Orihime did not have that, just her friends and their borrowed families.

 

He flopped back onto the bed and sighed before getting out of bed. He contemplated knocking on the door. How could he make Orihime understand? He had to do someting, so he rapped on the bathroom door. “O?”

 

“Yeah Babe?” she called through the door.

 

“I’m going downstairs. Join me whenever you’re ready. Take your time,” he said, deciding that she probably needed time to process everything. He had forced the idea onto her that they should have come to Germany. He’d blindsided her with the fact that he really didn’t need his job to survive. He had dazzled her with over the top gifts and she hadn’t asked for them. Again, Ulquiorra just wanted Orihime to feel loved and wanted. He’d spend a lifetime trying to show her how much she mattered to him.

 

Orihime did take her time.  Her legs were still unsteady from the previous evening’s activities, so she decided to take a bath instead of just a shower.  When she had finished she was feeling much better about things and was humming _Sexy MF_ to herself as she brushed out her hair and got dressed.  She dressed in a similar outfit to the one she wore the day before, betting that the skirt and blouse combination would work, or at least pass, in the various social situations in which Edra had planned to involve her.

 

She looked into the small bag of jewelry she had brought along.  There were three items in it. She thought about it, held the necklace up and tried on both rings.  In the end she decided to stack the rings and wear the necklace. To her it felt like choosing one and not the others was a slight toward Ulquiorra, even though she knew he probably wouldn’t care one way or the other.  She smiled, still humming the song as she came down the stairs.

 

If she wondered where Ulquiorra was, all she had to do was follow the loud voices.

 

***

 

"Mother," Ulquiorra said, barging into the kitchen like he had done a million times over his life. He saw Edra sitting at that long, handmade wooden table. Elke was at the same end, muttering while she chopped vegetables. Renard was sitting with them, along with a few of the other house staff.

 

Seeing the group made him stop short. He had planned on giving his mother the third degree about this whole thing but an audience made him rethink his plan of attack. “Mother, whatever you have planned, stop.”

 

The Spanish woman tilted her head up and looked at her son as she brought a cup of coffee to her lips. “I’ve no clue what you mean,” Edra commented after taking a sip. “Please enlighten me.”

 

A sigh. “Look, you don’t know Orihime. You don’t get to use her like a pawn,” Ulquiorra replied. He narrowed his eyes at the woman who gave birth to him, knowing he’d probably get scolded for treating his mother so poorly. “She’s not a show dog.”

 

“Pardon me?”

 

“O said that you planned on taking her out. She said you planned on showing her off! She’s not a damn puppy on a leash!” He said. Ulquiorra was almost to the point of irate but not quite. He was irritated for sure. He knew his mother. She was calculating. She was cunning. She hid it all behind a cute, old lady façade . Edra had always been that way, since Ulquiorra could understand. It was why they had amassed some of the biggest pharmaceutical research contracts. It was one of the reasons why Cifer Research Industries was a common name around Europe.

 

His mother scoffed at him. “My friends want to meet your bride. They want to see you since you ran away--”

  
  
“I didn’t run away!”

  
  
“No, of course not, Nino. You just left for no apparent reason to another country without telling your parents until it was too late for us to stop you.” Edra’s voice was starting to become louder. “You ran away from your problems. Had you listened to me, Nelliel would not have been a problem to begin with!”

  
  
“So what, I’m supposed to take your advice on everything? I’m just supposed to blindly trust you?” Ulquiorra asked, shouting at his mother. She had frustrated him to no end since he began to make his own decisions.

 

“I think I’ve done better in life than you have, boy! Look at you!” Edra put her cup down and stood. She was shorter than Ulquiorra but taller than Orihime, and her presence could fill the room and make her seem a like a giant. “Three failed relationships. You almost flunked out of college. You abandoned a dream so that you could lead a pauper’s life! I only want what is best for you!”

 

“Bullshit! You only want to protect your damn name!”

 

“Ulquiorra Alaric Cifer!”

 

“Alaric?” a soft voice came from the doorway, as Orihime’s face came into view, her cheeks dusted rose from overhearing a conversation not meant for her ears.

 

Ulquiorra turned around to see Orihime and he shifted uncomfortably. He had only meant to talk to his mother, not have a shouting match with her. “It means noble ruler,” he replied, not looking at Orihime.

 

Orihime wanted nothing better than to diffuse the tense atmosphere.  “Oh, really? I didn’t know that western names had meanings. Japanese names do, but it’s because they are written in kanji.  What does Ulquiorra mean?”

 

“It means he who cries,” Edra stated. She walked over to Orihime and took her hand, leading her to the table. She glanced at Ulquiorra before offering the redhead the seat next to her. “And some noble ruler you’re being, son.”

 

“Well I don’t know about the ‘ruler’ part, but I think Ulquiorra is noble.  Why did you choose a name with a sad meaning?” she asked Edra, managing to make the question sound like a curiosity and not a judgment.

 

Now it was Edra’s turn to look uncomfortable. She waved her hands and her staff scattered, leaving the room, except for Elke and Renard. “I had a lot of complications. Ulquiorra did not look healthy when he came into this world. He was very pale and skinny like a stick--”  
  
“Ma, no one wants to hear this.”

 

“Hush! She asked,” Renard scolded. “Let your mother finish!”

 

Being properly chastised, Ulquiorra sat down across from Orihime and sighed. “Fine, tell her.”

 

Edra’s mouth formed a thin line. “My grandmother, Ulquiorra’s great-grandmother, looked at him and said he wouldn’t live past the first year. She was obviously wrong. He also looked so sad, all the time. You’ve seen his pictures. He never looks happy.”

  
“About a week after he was born and I was at my wits end, my mother told me that I should name him Ulquiorra because he never stopped crying,” Edra said then smiled. “Eventually, he did stop crying. It was colic, nothing major.”

 

“You make it sound like I was dying,” the green eyed male commented.

 

Orihime glanced over at her fiance with a small smile and back to Edra.  “Well, despite the sad meaning, I really do love his name. It did take me some time to be able to say it properly, though,” she admitted, laughing at herself. “I really mangled it in the beginning.”

 

Ulquiorra had to swallow because he remembered the first time Orihime said his name perfectly. His cheeks faintly colored and he shook his head. “I spent an entire hour teaching her how to say really and she still messes it up on occasion, like when she talks too fast.”

  
  
“Hmph,” Edra said, barely giving her son notice. She was focused on the woman beside her. “What does your name mean, Orihime? Is it something special?”

 

Orihime looked slightly embarrassed as she answered, “Inoue means “above the well”.  Orihime means “weaver princess”, and is the name of a mythological being that is represented by the star, Vega.”

 

He had no idea that there was an actual meaning to her first and last name. He’d just gone off what he’d looked up online. “I wonder what people think of my name in Japan,” he wondered.

  
  
His mother’s eyes slid over in his direction. “Probably that you’re a stubborn and hard-headed individual. You have a lovely name, Orihime.”

  
  
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Ma.”

 

“Oh, it’s Ma now instead of stick up your arse, Mother?” Edra asked. She brought a hand up and shook a finger at Ulquiorra. “Alaric, I will bend you over my knee.”

 

Orihime blushed and raised her brows, looking intently down into her lap at Mrs. Cifer’s words.  She had to bite the insides of her cheeks to not giggle.

 

Even he had trouble keeping a straight face. Ulquiorra set his face in a hard glare at Edra then crossed his arms over his chest. “Look, I’m not trying to disrespect you, Ma. I just want you to understand some things about Orihime and I.”

  
“Like?”

 

“The reason I want to have the wedding in Japan is because that’s where Orihime’s family is but it’s not a traditional family. They are her friends. Orihime is--” he looked at the redhead before he finished his statement. “She doesn’t have any blood relatives that are alive or care about her. I want the wedding to take place in Japan because that’s where her friends are and I don’t think any of them could afford a plane ticket to Germany at the drop of a hat.”

 

“What about your friends? Your family?”

  
  
“Ugh. I don't care if we have a huge wedding! I just want a small gathering; you, dad, Renard, Elke--”

  
  
“I no go. Too old to fly,” the elderly cook said in German.

 

“Okay, not Elke but maybe Yammy and--”

 

Edra raised an eyebrow at her son. “You don’t want it here because of Nelliel.”

 

His face showed many facial expressions. Shame. Anger. Indignation. Mostly shame because his mother was right. Ulquiorra gave a slight nod.

 

Orihime flinched at his admission.

 

“I don’t want her to ruin Orihime’s day.”

 

“Tch. Nelliel would not ruin the day. I plan on making sure of that. I happen to know where Nel works. Her mother and I are acquaintances. I was going to take Orihime there to parade her around,” Edra stated, holding her chin up in a haughty manner. “That bitch needs to be knocked down a peg or two. I can understand though that you don’t want to be around her, Ulquiorra.”

 

Orihime’s breathing was slightly labored as she asked, “We’re doing this today?”  She made no other perceptible indication that the very idea terrified her.

 

“No, today is just for us. I plan on giving you a _proper_ house tour. Maybe a tour of the grounds and gardens. We have a stable and some animals,” Edra replied, giving the woman a quizzical look. “Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of notice before I cart you off into Munich for a day of shopping and pampering.”

 

Orihime smiled uneasily and nodded.  

 

***

  
Nel stood with her hands on her hips, staring at Szayel. “What do you mean he brought his wife? Are you saying he got married?”

 

“Nel, darling, you have to take in account that he’s moved on,” the pink-haired man said in a flippant voice, waving his hand. “You’ve been replaced.”

 

Her hazel eyes narrowed, “I have not been replaced! That woman is just using him!”

 

It was Nnoitra who snorted rudely. “I think you might be projecting, bitch.”

 

“Shut the fuck up, Nnoitra! You’re just mad because I would never give you the time of day!” Nel snapped. “I never used Ulqui.”

 

It was Szayel who rolled his eyes. “Yammy,” he said, looking at the big man. “Would you say Nel used Ulquiorra?”

 

“Huh?” The small giant looked at the teal haired woman who shrank back slightly. “Hmph. You madel Ulquiorra leave.”

 

Nel huffed and sighed. “Your opinion doesn’t matter you dumb oaf.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

“Are you threatening her?” This question came from a blue haired man sitting behind Nel. He was glaring at the other men, scrolling through a phone. He seemed disinterested in the conversation that was going on around him. That was until the big man stood up and glared down at his girlfriend. “I suggest you sit on your ass, Yammy.”

 

“Why are you even entertaining this, Grimmjow? Aren’t you and Nel together?” Nnoitra asked.

 

“You’re forgetting the other one,” Szayel commented.

 

“Which one? She has more than two dudes in her harem? What a whore,” the tall, skinny man stated.

 

The teal-haired woman glowered. “His name is Bazz,” Nel said.

 

“Whatever you’re a whore. You’re a whore who used Ulq to get what you wanted while fucking a blueberry and raspberry,” Nnoitra sneered.

 

“Like you give a damn! You three used him just as much as I did!” Nel yelled.

 

She turned around and stomped out of the apartment, leaving Grimmjow sitting on that couch. The other males in the room looked at him as he stood with a shrug. He followed Nel down to his car where she sat in the passenger seat. He climbed in the driver seat and started the vehicle. “You wanna tell me why you’re so hung up on Cifer?”

 

“Not you too,” Nel said.

 

“I’m just asking, seems pretty suspect for you to keep chasing him,” Grimmjow said as he began to drive back to their apartment. “I mean I’ve gone along with whatever you were saying but c’mon Nel, are you still in love with him?”

 

“No! I’m just saying that it would be easier on us if we had him around and he moved in with us,” Nel replied.

 

“Tch.”

 

***

 

Edra walked arm in arm with Orihime while Ulquiorra trailed behind. His mother took them around the house, pointing out various antiques and characteristics of the house. They went outside and strolled the fabulous gardens designed by some award winning gardener, Ulquiorra couldn’t remember.

 

To say Orihime was impressed by the estate and its contents would be a gross understatement.  The grounds were immaculate and even the outbuildings showed the results of decades of loving maintenance.  She was overjoyed when she was shown the stables and was nearly knocked over by an overexcited pair of borzois.  The black and white dogs whined for her attention, and she fell to her knees and welcomed their nuzzles and sloppy dog kisses while she did her best to find all their hidden scritchy places.  Within minutes both dogs were on their backs with their heads in her lap, and she looked up at Ulquiorra and Edra like she had found nirvana.

 

Edra’s smile was endearing. Her dogs were mostly loveable but they never liked any of her son’s girlfriends and would always growl when the women came around. She turned to her child. “See, Ulquiorra. Even Alejandro and Petra love her.”

 

“Yeah, Orihime has a way with people and animals. I bought a plant and now we have several in our apartment that have flourished under her care. She talks to them everyday,” Ulquiorra replied. He gave a sharp whistle which the dogs perked up but didn’t bother to get up. The animals were enjoying the attention they were receiving from the woman.

 

“Oh don’t be such a grump,” Orihime teased when Ulquiorra frowned at the dogs’ disobedience.  She gave each of them one last belly rub and rose to her feet. She looked down the long stable corridor and saw soft grey noses peeking out from bars, blowing dusty air toward the visitors and trying to get a sniff.  Orihime had never seen a horse in real life before. She was justifiably nervous; they were huge. She was curious about the quiet creatures though, “Are these yours?” She asked, gesturing down toward the stalled animals.

 

It was Edra that answered. “No, one horse belongs to Renard but the rest of the stable is leased to boarders. I am too old to ride and Mikhail has no interest in animals. Renard’s horse is his pride and joy.“

 

“May I meet him?  Or her?” Orihime asked.

 

Edra shrugged. “If you’d like. Ulquiorra, take her down to the last stall.”

 

Ulquiorra led the way down the aisle with Orihime close behind, She looked into each stall, cooing at one animal or another, and jumping in surprise when one blew a snort out at them as they passed.  She smiled and continued on, listening to the munch of hay and small nickers and whinnies. It was a very soothing atmosphere after the stress of the kitchen conversation that morning. They finally came to a stop at the last stall on the right.

 

She looked up into a huge gentle brown eye surrounded by long black lashes and velveteen chestnut fur covering its wrinkled eyelids.  She was stunned to realize the animal’s pupil was not round but rectangular. She studied this eye for nearly half a minute before widening her focus; not that she had a choice.  The animal had poked it’s muzzle through an opening of the stall bars and began lipping at her hair.

 

“Oh, well, you are friendly, um, er...” she began nervously before Ulquiorra supplied his name.

 

“Barnaby.”

 

“...Barnaby,” Orihime repeated, cautiously lifting her hand to the animal’s nose and giving it a small pet.  she had never felt anything softer before in her life. She smiled at Ulquiorra, not sure if she was behaving appropriately around the animal but loving the interaction nonetheless.

 

There was some shuffling and Ulquiorra turned to see Renard hobbling towards them. “It seems your horse has a fan, Renard.”

 

“Well,” Renard said with a smile. “Barnaby deserves fans. He’s a beautiful animal. Would you like to give him a treat, Miss Inoue?” The old man held out a small basket with cut up carrots and apple slices in it.

 

Orihime nodded eagerly and accepted a carrot from Renard.  He showed her how to safely offer the treat to Barnaby on the flat of her hand, and she turned toward the tall bay horse slowly to give it to him.  Before she knew what had happened, the animal had snuffled the carrot from her hand and gave her a low nicker as it crunched away at it. Orihime grinned at Renard.

 

“You remind me of my granddaughter,” Renard said, patting her on the head and handing the basket to the Japanese woman. “Make sure he eats all of his treats, I’ll be back to check on him later.”

 

Ulquiorra chuckled as he watched the man walk away and then turned to his fiancee. “You had your doubts that my family doesn’t like you?” he asked, picking up an apple slice and offering it to the big animal.

 

Orihime looked at him, a woman corrected.  “I guess I was being silly. Still, I haven’t spent any time with your father.  He strikes me as the kind of man who lets his wife do the talking sometimes though.  Does he have an opinion one way or the other?”

 

He shrugged. Ulquiorra answered her. “My dad is focused on his work. My mom is the mouthpiece. She’s always been that way. I’m sure my dad will want to talk to you eventually. It’s just he knows how my mom gets; a new toy she wants to play with first. He’s just letting her get her fill.”

 

Orihime chuckled as Ulquiorra confirmed her suspicions and finished giving Barnaby his treats.  She looked around and saw that Edra was nowhere to be found. “Ulquiorra…?”

 

“Hmmm?” he murmured.

 

“I don’t suppose you want a ‘roll in the hay,’”  she joked. She had heard the phrase in movies before and had been dying to use it.

 

He looked around quickly noticing his mother was no longer with them but knowing her, she’d pop up at the most inopportune time. Then again, he was always craving his woman’s touch and body. Ulquiorra turned Orihime around and walked over to where several bales of hay were stacked. “I wouldn’t mind,” he said.

 

“Oh you’re so bad, _eroyaji,_ ”she said as she batted at his arm.  “I was only joking! What if your mother saw us like this?”  She hissed.

 

Ulquiorra laughed and then picked her up, setting her on top of the makeshift seat. He smirked and kissed her. “I could take you out for a drive in my car and have my way with you,” he teased, letting his fingers trailed up her leg.

 

“You have a car!?”  She was genuinely shocked by this news.  She knew he was able to drive, he had illegally driven her car once, but he had never mentioned it before.  Then her eyes narrowed, “I would like to see Ulquiorra-kun’s car,” she purred in a slightly more accented than usual tone.

 

“I have a car. It’s nothing special,” he said. Ulquiorra sighed and helped her down. “How do you think I knew how to drive?”

 

He was missing the point.  She looked pointedly down to his crotch and said, “Oh I know Ulquiorra-kun can drive, I just wanted to see how fast,” she looked back up at him with a smirk.

 

Oh. Oh… She--Orihime wanted him. That’s why she was putting on this act. “Woman,” he whispered. Ulquiorra grabbed her hand and pulled her along to where there was another outbuilding which was bigger than the others. It was where all the cars were stored. He dug in the pocket of his jeans and produced a small set of keys, unlocking the door they came up to. Ulquiorra opened the barrier and then went inside, flipping on the light switches. There were two rows of various cars lined up.

 

His green eyes spotted some of his dad’s favorite cars. There was a Porsche, a vintage Mercedes, a BMW, several Audi models and even a Maserati. His car was all the way in the rear of the garage under a canvas tarp. He smiled at Orihime and beckoned to her to follow him.

 

She grinned.  She felt like she was on some kind of movie studio or James Bond adventure ride.  She followed him with an unconscious, audible, excited “hee hee hee” noise pushing through her teeth.

 

When he reached the covered vehicle, Ulquiorra pulled the tarp off with little flourish, letting it drop on to the cement floor. “Do you want to take an actual drive or can I just fuck you in the back seat here?” He said, turning toward Orihime. His eyes were full of wanting and it was all directed at her.

 

She whimpered under his gaze and her mouth was suddenly dry.  Then she repeated a phrase that he had heard her utter before, “Why not both?”

 

“Orihime,” he murmured. He had been given this car when he turned twenty years old. His dad obliged and gotten him the Audi S7 that he had been talking about and even made payments on the vehicle. He unlocked the car with another key then opened the back door of the sedan. “Get in.”

 

She shivered and her core thumped.  She loved it when he took control like this, and she got into the backseat without a word, scooting across the seat until her back was against the far door.

 

Ulquiorra smirked, looking at her face from where he was standing. He could see how her eyes followed his hands as he undid the fastening of his jeans before climbing in beside her. “You want to be a naughty girl and tease me? Come here, _Pet_. I want your mouth on me.”

 

Orihime licked her lips.  This is not what she had been expecting, but she was beyond aroused by his dominant attitude.  She slid over in the seat closer to him and brought her hands to him, working to free his growing erection from its constraints.  It only took a couple seconds to work it out of the fly opening of his pants and boxers, and then she dipped her head down and took him into her mouth without any further ado.

 

He wasn’t completely hard yet, although it was happening quickly.  She sucked on his length, lolling her tongue around the head as she pulled off of him.  She repeated this action several times until he was rock hard, then added her hands.

 

His head dropped back to rest on the seat, eyes closing in pleasure. Ulquiorra didn’t know how but she was damn good at this. Ginjo probably had been a selfish bastard. This thought did not please him.

 

Ulquiorra lifted his head to watch her mouth as she swallowed him. She was greedy when it came to his body. She obviously wanted everything that he could give her. Using a hand, he moved her hair out of the way, tangling his fingers in the strands. He didn’t pull. He didn’t yank. He just wanted a better view of the show that was going on before him. He wanted to move with her but didn’t think that it would be wise to do that to her.

 

She was in the zone, feeling his member swell and throb in her mouth, and she knew if she stayed the course he would fall apart in short order.  She made it a goal, and Orihime was focused to bring him to completion as soon as possible. She accelerated and increased her suction slightly. She slid her visible eye to Ulquiorra’s face.  His expression alone nearly made her fall apart, with his flushed cheeks and parted lips. It was a truly erotic sight to her.

 

He moaned, giving a shifting his hips and thrusting slightly into her waiting mouth. Ulquiorra had to suck in a breath when he noticed her looking at him. She knew what she was doing, the little redheaded minx probably planned this. Not that he minded. They still had time to make up for from when they were apart. He finally let go of her hair and reached for one of her tits, squeezing the firm flesh. “Orihime, I’m gonna--Let me--Fuck,” he growled.

 

She hummed her acknowledgement but did not relent her pace, milking him with her tongue and lips until the first taste of bitterness arrived in her mouth.  She then slowed slightly, not wanting to overstimulate him as she swallowed the first spurt. The hand she had been using to brace herself against the back seat of the car came up to cup and slightly massage his testicles as she drew another spurt from him, and she did this again and again until his cock began to soften and he was whimpering for her to stop.  

 

He finally choked out a cry as she pulled off of him completely, dragging her tongue up and off of his shaft as she went.  She sat up on her folded legs and regarded his face. He looked wrecked. She narrowed her eyes and gave him an evil smirk, bringing the back of her hand to the corner of her mouth and wiping it off.

 

“So, are you ready to take me for a drive now?” she asked.  It was more of a challenge. She thought there would be no way he would be capable of speech, much less movement, at this time.

 

It took several moments but Ulquiorra finally found his voice. He had to remember how to move his mouth and tongue to produce noise but it happened. “Baby,” he said, cupping her cheek and pulling her towards him. His mouth latched onto hers, letting his tongue dive in between her lips. The liplock was smoldering and when he pulled back, Ulquiorra smirked. “I like going fast so I hope you know how to hold on.”

 

She bit her lip and squeezed her thighs together as she nodded, not breaking eye contact for a second, even as she shifted her hips to alleviate some of the throbbing sensation her body was subjecting her to.

 

He made himself decent and climbed out of the backseat, offering a hand to Orihime. As soon as she was out of the vehicle, he pinned her against the side of it. Ulquiorra was kissing her again, grinding his hips against her. He could feel how hot she was. Ulquiorra could tell she was aroused by how she tried to suppress the whimpers leaving her throat. Then he stepped away from her. “Get in the passenger seat,” he said.


	37. Cold Water

He had driven out to one of his parent’s properties that no one had been to in years. He fucked Orihime in the backseat. He fucked her on the hood of the car. He even went down on her while she was naked to all the world. They spent hours out there making love to each other.

 

The sun was starting to set as the white car pulled into the driveway, waiting for the gates to open. When they drove through and up to the house, Ulquiorra could see his mother standing on the steps, unimpressed. He looked at Orihime, bit his lip then laughed. It was okay. His mom couldn’t be that mad.

 

After the scolding he received for making his mother worry, Ulquiorra sat beside Orihime at dinner, with his hand on her thigh, which she kept batting away. They spent the hours that they should have been sleeping, fucking.

 

The next couple days were like that until finally Edra put her foot down.

 

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing Ulquiorra.” Edra was once again shaking her finger at him. Orihime was upstairs probably taking a shower or getting cleaned up for the day.

 

“Ma, don’t start in. I’m not doing anything,” Ulquiorra replied, trying to bat her finger out of his face. “What am I supposedly doing, Mother?”

 

Edra scowled at him. “You two have been going at it. The security guard sees things. The garage. The garden. Behind the stables.”

 

He sighed. It figured his parents would install something like that with him being gone, so he decided to tease his mother. “And? From what I heard from Oma--”

 

“I expect grandchildren! Lots of grandbabies!”

 

That made him sober up quickly. He frowned at his mother. “What do you mean you expect grandchildren?” He asked.

 

“For being so smart, you are a dense boy.” His mother folded her arms across her chest. “I want to be a grandma. My mother had almost fifty grandchildren and—“

 

“Mother! There is only one of me. Grandmother had ten children!” Ulquiorra gave an exasperated sigh.

 

“By the way, you should tell Orihime that tomorrow is when I plan on taking her into Munich.” Edra patted her son’s arm, then walked away from him. She was probably on her way to the greenhouse or maybe even out to see the dogs.

 

He wanted to tell his mother that Orihime didn’t need to be shoved into Nel’s face. He wanted to tell her that he wanted to go with them but Ulquiorra knew his mother would never allow it. Besides, he could use this as the perfect opportunity to go ring shopping. He’d call his friends while in the city and have lunch with them. He would avoid Nel.

 

Trudging back up the steps to his room, Ulquiorra ran into Orihime in the hall.

 

“Hey Babe,” she said as he approached.  “What’s wrong?”

 

“You know, everything. My mother wants grandchildren and she’s taking you to lunch tomorrow.”

 

She threw her head back and laughed a trilling little laugh.  “Ulquiorra, you are being dramatic. We’ve known about the lunch for days and grandchildren... Well, we’ve talked about it before.  What’s the big deal?”

 

He sighed and looked at her. “She _knows_ what we’ve been doing. Apparently there’s cameras everywhere, which is a new development.”

 

The mirthful expression melted off of her face, morphing into something resembling abject horror.  Her hands came to her cheeks and she mouthed, “Oh no,” then turned and ran back to the bedroom, completely mortified.

 

Ulquiorra walked after her. His face was red from embarrassment. “My mother says if we’re going to do that, we might as well give her grandchildren. I don’t have the heart to tell her it might be a few years down the road. And, yes, we’ve known about the lunch but, I’m not going with you. It will be just you and my mother. You’re going to see Nel, Baby.”

 

She froze.  “How can you be sure?”  She asked without turning around to look at him.  She knew his face would tell the truth before his mouth would, and she wanted to prolong the time it took for this information to reach her for as long as possible.

 

“My mom is going to introduce you to her,” Ulquiorra said in a flat voice. He hated being the bearer of bad news but someone had to say it. It wouldn’t be right for her to go with his mother and not be prepared.

 

She turned around with a hurt expression.  “Why would she _do_ that?  I don’t understand.  I thought she liked me.  Is it because of the sex thing?”

 

He had an idea that something like this would happen. The dark-haired man shook his head. “No, if she wanted to retaliate for that she’d chaperone us everywhere. I think she’s doing it to show Nel that you’re a much better woman that she could ever be.”

 

Ulquiorra walked over to the chair that was in the room and sat down with a long exhale. “Orihime, there’s something you don’t know and I’ve not told anyone about. There’s a reason why I left Nel. There’s a reason why I didn’t think it was a big deal that she was trying to talk to me or why I didn’t think her words or opinions mattered. There’s a reason why I don’t believe anything that Nel says to me.”

 

Orihime’s eyebrows knit.  What kind of secrets was he keeping?  “What is the reason?”

 

“She cheated on me. She slept with either Grimmjow or Bazz or even both, I don’t know, but she cheated on me and then she lied about it. So whatever she said to me was garbage. Do you think I would take the time out to read her messages or talk to her?” Ulquiorra said. “I despise her but I was trying to be civil.”

 

“I don’t really understand.  I mean, I understand being hurt or even hating someone for cheating on you.  What I don’t understand is the need to continue the relationship in any form whatsoever, even in the name of civility.  And I’m not saying I still think you’re hung up on her. I believe you. But it is just a really weird thing for me to think about.  I mean, if you slept with her again and I found out about it, that would be it. There would be no going back. It would be over.”

 

He really wanted to point out that Ginjo cheated on her multiple times but she kept going back to the bastard but he knew that would be taking things too far. “I was trying to avoid conflict. I was trying to avoid fighting. I don’t like it. There’s no need for drama or theatrics. I thought if I could be friendly to Nel, I could avoid everything that has happened. She doesn’t know I figured out that she was unfaithful. She thinks I just got tired of her.”

 

“Oh,” she said, surprised.  This cast things into a new light.  She paced the room a bit as she pondered this new information.  “I mean, I guess that’s kind of like what I did with Ginjo, but I didn’t do it because of potential ‘drama’, it was because I was afraid he would light my house on fire…”  She twisted her mouth around, then pinpointed why this was bothering her. “Why does your mother want to create drama then? I mean, if she has a reason I’m happy to help her, but it just seems petty on the surface.”

 

Ulquiorra chuckled. If he didn’t like drama, his mother did. She was from Spain; drama and theatrics ran in the woman’s blood. “I think it’s to show Nel I’m happy. I think it’s to show how much my mother likes you. I think it’s because you’re someone that my mom thinks is worthy. I don’t know. You’d have to ask her.”

 

She offered him a withering smile.  “I’d really rather not. I like your mother, but she kind of scares me.”  She sighed, raising and dropping her shoulders in resignation. “I guess I’ll do whatever she wants; it is really not something I look forward to doing but if it will make her happy, I’ll be happy.  I am just worried that I’m going to get called a whore in front of a bunch of people who don’t know me. And _now_ your mother might think there is some truth to that, thanks to the cameras,” she huffed and flopped down on the edge of the bed.

 

“You’re going to be going to where Nel works. She’s a waitress. My mother knows what it’s like to be ridiculously in love. I’ve heard stories about her and my father from relatives.”

 

She giggled at that, smiling at him warmly. She caught the ‘ridiculously in love’ bit.”

 

“O, just don’t sweat it? Okay? Ignore Nel; show her you’re not bothered by her,” Ulquiorra said. He stood and walked over to her. “You know I love you. Nel’s a whore.”

 

“Well thank you for saying so but let’s not bandy that word about, okay?”

 

***

 

Edra was excited. She sat beside Orihime in the back of the car. However, the young lady seemed a bit pensive as they rode along. Renard was driving them on their day out. “So the first thing I have planned is a pedicure and manicure. Then we’ll have lunch and then we’re going shopping. Have you two made any plans about the wedding yet?”

 

“Um, well, Ulquiorra told me to plan it myself.  He only seems to be interested in having it in Japan.  He seems to want it to be somewhat traditional, but I’m not sure if he was thinking, like, Shinto, or just a Japanese-style wedding.  I think he has become more interested in Japanese culture than he lets on. He used to complain about it a lot,” she laughed. “I am not as worried about it, I think.  I just want it to be nice.”

 

“You just want it to be nice? Orihime,” Edra said, her voice bordering on a scolding tone. “Unless you want Ulquiorra to plan it, you need to make some decisions. Step up once in a while. Now, I know Ulquiorra said no wedding planner but would you be interested in talking with her?”

 

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt, I mean, I have never even been to a wedding before, so I don’t know what I’m doing.”

 

The look of horror on Edra’s face was surprising. How many young women had never been to a wedding before? She was just about to say something but then remembered that Orihime was an orphan. “Well for one, I’m sure a Japanese wedding is different from a European wedding. I know a Spanish wedding is very different than a German one. I know. I got married twice technically.”

 

“Oh?  You were married to someone before you met Mr. Cifer?”  Orihime was intrigued.

 

“No! I got married to him in Germany and then had another wedding in Spain for all my relatives who couldn’t make it. My mother was mad,” Edra said smirking at the memory. “You need to decide what you want or else Ulquiorra will decide. When do you think you will give me a grandchild?”

 

Orihime blushed and plastered on a fake smile.  “Um, it’s not exactly up to me, and we are both quite young. I’m still only 24, although I’ll be 25 in a couple of weeks…” she was rambling in her nervousness.  “But I really want children! We’ve talked about it.”

 

Edra knew her son, at least she thought she did. She never thought Ulquiorra would get married but he surprised her. She never thought she’d have grandkids but now this woman was telling him that they had talked about it. “You’re the first woman who he’s mentioned the word marriage to. Nel often would talk about what they would do when they were married and Ulquiorra would shy away from her like it was something dirty. He never agreed to it. He didn’t want to be tied down to her like that. I hope you realize how special you are. You’ve made him happy.”

 

Orihime smiled. “I hope so.  I think so,” she was inclined to go on about it but recalled how Edra had previously asserted that hers and Ulquiorra’s relationship was none of her business, so she held back.

 

“I know so.” Edra looked at the woman and smiled. “I have an ulterior motive for today. I told you that we’re going to lunch but I plan on introducing you to Nelliel. Are you okay with this?”

 

“Ulquiorra already told me.  He was afraid I would but upset if I didn’t know.  I’m _glad_ he told me,” her warning was implied, although her tone and expression remained sweet.  She didn’t want this nonsense to become a habit with the older woman. “Anyway, why do you want me to meet Ulquiorra’s former lover?  She hates me already.”

 

Edra raised an appraising eyebrow at the young woman. Maybe she did have a backbone. “Because sometimes revenge is a dish best served cold. Nelliel treated my son wrongly. So far from what I’ve _seen,_ you love him for who he is and not his name and what it can bring you. Nel only wanted Ulquiorra to line her pockets.”

 

Orihime nodded.  Ulquiorra had told her the same story.  There was one thing she didn’t understand though, and she didn’t think it was a question Ulquiorra was equipped to answer.  “So if she was only after money, why didn’t she chase after another rich man when Ulquiorra left her? There are plenty of old rich men who would pay for the company of a young woman--”  she nearly slapped herself in the mouth for what she had said. Orihime didn’t need her future mother-in-law discovering that she was, in fact, the daughter of a real-life whore.

 

“You mean you don’t know?” Edra asked, somewhat shocked. Her brow furrowed and she tilted her head in a way that implied she was curious. “You’ve never seen a picture of Nel?”

 

“Well, I’ve seen parts of her…” Orihime trailed off with a tiny sneer curling her upper lip.

 

“Parts of her?” Edra shook her head. She didn’t want to know. “It’s hard to find someone to swindle when you look as young as Nel does.”

 

Orihime immediately felt sick to her stomach.  Ulquiorra had been interested in someone who looked very young?  Orihime did not fit that description. She had always been assumed to be older than she was.  She wasn’t able to hide her unease.

 

Edra saw the way the woman seemed to cringe. She pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. She flipped through the photos she had saved until she came across one. It showed Ulquiorra with a dour expression and Nel with her arms around his neck. “Nel seems to not age. She’s as old as Ulquiorra but looks to be only eighteen years old.”

 

The woman handed Orihime her phone.

 

Orihime did not want to take it but did anyway.  The photo confirmed her fears. This woman looked like a child.  What was Ulquiorra into? “It appears he has a wide strike range,” she said, passing the phone back to Edra with a soulless smile.  

 

“I saw through her scheme and it became even more apparent as we restricted funds. Nel became more and more irate with Ulquiorra. My son became more and more disillusioned with her.” Edra frowned then shut the phone off, not wanting to look at the picture either. “Of course, I’ve not seen Nel in the past year so I could be mistaken, she could have grown up. She constantly made herself appear childish and as time went on, Ulquiorra didn’t like it.”

 

It was a small relief to hear that he eventually didn’t like Nel’s aesthetic.  She shook her head and cleared the creeped out feeling from her mind, desiring to focus on the information she needed.  “I’m glad to hear that, however, I am still confused. I _know_ that there are plenty of creeps out there who would be happy to part with their money for someone like her.  So why do you think she was stuck - is still stuck - on Ulquiorra?”

 

“Nel only likes men her age. If they’re rich and can provide for her, then she’ll go after them. At least that is what I’ve heard,” Edra explained and shook her head. “I’ve also heard that Nel praised Ulquiorra’s bedroom prowess but I’ve heard this before. Cirucci made it known that she--Never mind. I don’t even want to think about it.”

 

Orihime couldn’t censor her reaction.  Luckily for her, she was able to do it in a language Edra didn’t understand.  “ _Kimoi!!  Kimochi warui.”_ She did slap herself over the mouth this time, and looked at Edra with eyes that were simultaneously apologetic and offended.

 

She saw Orihime’s face. The woman knew some about Japanese culture, she’d been reading about it since her son ran away. She’d even got hooked on a Japanese drama show. Edra patted the young woman’s arm. “It’s alright. I know it’s disgusting. Do you think I wanted to hear that? I wanted to tear Nel’s head off because that wasn’t something to talk about in public and especially not in front of his mother and her friends.”

 

Orihime nodded.  She was getting a bit tired of Edra’s transparent attempts to get Orihime to join in with Operation: Trash Nel.  She figured the fastest way to stop her would just be to align with her voluntarily. “I agree. This Nel is not a good person and must be forced to see that she is nothing to Ulquiorra.”  It wasn’t a lie. She did think it was for the best to cut Nel out of Ulquiorra’s life for good. In fact, the more she thought about that, the more eager she was to enact Edra’s plan.

 

“So, when will I meet this _girl_?”  She said with just enough derision to be perceptible.

 

It was Renard who interrupted their conversation. “Madam, we’re here.”

 

***

 

After the manicures and the pedicures, Edra knew where they were headed for lunch. It was a place that Mikhail avoided due to his heartburn problem and Edra had only been there once or twice. It was a place to be avoided like the plague since she found out Nel worked there. It was a tiny place that served decent food. The Spanish woman called ahead to make reservations but everyone knew her last name. She was told that she would be welcomed at any time.

 

So when they walked into the restaurant, Edra said, “Cifer” and then told the host that they were to be seated where Nelliel would be waiting on them. It took only moments before they were ushered to a table with fabric tablecloths and napkins. Edra smiled graciously and held her head high. “Do you like wine Orihime?” she asked.

 

“I don’t drink a lot of wine, but I believe I would very much like some today,” she joked.  Despite her resolve to help Edra, her nerves were getting to her.

 

Edra smiled and nodded. She saw who was headed towards them. It was rather unfortunate that Orihime wasn’t facing the same direction as Edra because the older woman saw Nel’s face. She saw the shock, the disbelief, the downright look of incredulity that crossed the woman’s face in a mere second. Then came that sweet, saccharin smile.

 

Ulquiorra’s mother had never seen Nel with normal-colored hair. It had always been a darker teal and long, spilling over her shoulders. The young woman who had briefly dated her son was tall and looked innocent with her large hazel eyes that held a touch of madness in them. Edra knew why her son had been attracted to Nel. It was hard to avoid a chest that big when it was directly in shoved into one’s face. Ulquiorra said it had just happened.

 

“Mrs. Cifer,” Nel smiled. “It’s so nice to see you.”

 

“Nel,” the woman said in greeting. She spoke in English so that Orihime could follow along in the conversation. “ _We_ will start off with a bottle of the 2016 Keller Rheinhessen Dalsheim Hubacker Riesling Grosses Gewächs.”

 

“Oh, is Renard joining you today?” came the question in a tinkling voice.

 

Edra had to grit her teeth to keep from screaming obscenities at the teal-haired woman. Was she blind? Did she not see the other woman sitting across from her? She smiled, “Not today. It’s just me and--Oh, that’s right.”

 

Nel just stood there looking uncomfortably happy with a wide smile on her face. “What’s right?”

 

“Nel, this is Orihime, Ulquiorra’s _wife_.” Edra gestured at the redhead sitting across from her. She knew it was a bold-faced lie but she had learned it was okay to stretch the truth a bit.

 

Orihime had started steeling herself as soon as she heard that bitch’s voice again.  When Edra gave her the cue, Orihime turned around with a brilliantly relaxed smile, looking every bit the beautiful young bride.  She raised her brows as if in recognition, and said in a serene voice, “Oh, right. Nel, was it? So nice to put a face to a name.”

 

Nel kept that smile plastered on her face. Edra saw the woman’s eyes. Thousands of emotions ran through them before stopping on one. Rage burned behind them and it suited her just fine. What could Nel do? Nothing. Edra was a high profile diner. Nel was just a waitress. The woman knew it was wrong to treat someone like dirt from the ground but this woman was merely trash for what she did to her son.

 

The teal-haired woman cleared her throat and nodded. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ci--Ci--Cifer,” she finally sputtered. She handed two menus over to Edra and then said, “I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

 

Edra watched as Nel retreated and then looked at Orihime with admiration. “Well?” the older woman asked. “You seemed to handle that nicely.”

 

Still smiling, Orihime raised one hand a few inches off the table and allowed the older woman to see how it trembled.  “I’m about ready for that bottle of wine now. You might want to order another one for yourself.”

 

“Ha! You did fine. I like you, Orihime.” Edra flashed a genuine smile at the Japanese woman. “And you can have all the wine you’d like. Just seeing that bitch’s face was enough satisfaction to last me until my last days.”

 

Orihime’s smile widened, causing her eyes to crinkle at the corners.  “Well, I will drink to that,” she laughed then, and it sounded genuinely happy.  Then she paused and added, “But seriously, Mrs. Cifer, thank you for this. Despite my inclination to avoid it, this confrontation has been a long time coming.”

 

Edra waved a hand as if she was batting away Orihime’s gratitude. “That was not a confrontation. No voices were raised. No ugly glares were exchanged. That was a simple greeting. As my daughter-in-law you need to get used to it,” she said. “You are marrying into a _society_ family. I’ve done my reading and found that the way we act is not dissimilar to the Japanese concepts of tatemae and honne;  you have a duty to maintain two faces: one for the world, and another for yourself and your innermost circle. You seem to be fluent in this social construct.  In fact, you have proven today that you can act polite and smile all while throwing magnificently implied insults.”

 

Orihime nodded thoughtfully and smiled at the ‘compliment’.  She made the decision then and there to never let her guard down around this woman.  “So, Mrs. Cifer, now that we have completed this mission, what is next on the agenda?”

 

“If you’ll indulge me just a bit more, dear. There’s one more thing I want to do.” She caught sight of that funny colored hair and gave Orihime a wink. “Shopping,” Edra stated with a smirk

 

“Ooh, what are we shopping for?” Orihime asked, trying to get into the spirit.

 

As soon as Nel was in earshot, Edra said, “Well we need to pick up some outfits and a stroller. I was just so excited to hear that you and Ulquiorra are going to be parents!”

 

There was a crash. Edra lifted her head to see Nel standing there with her mouth hanging open. The older woman looked at the floor where two wine glasses lay shattered. The bottle of wine was on its side, spilling all over the floor. There was the look that Edra was waiting for. The broken-hearted, crushed expression. It was as if Nel’s hopes and dreams had been annihilated.

 

Nelliel Tu Oderschrank deserved it. She had hurt her child. Mikhail told her all about that phone call when Ulquiorra explained to his father that he had gone to Japan. “Slippery fingers, Nel?” Her tone was sympathetic with a frown on her face. “Poor dear. We all have those days. I stumbled over a step the other day.”

 

Orihime almost felt sorry for Nel.  Almost. Then she remembered the lies and the pictures, and she smiled a wicked little grin for just a moment, before training it back into something more characteristic.

 

Nel apologized and picked up the mess before running into the staff area. Edra would be surprised if she saw Nel again while they were there.

 

***

 

Nel sniffled and swiped at her nose with the tissue. How dare that evil woman bring that dirty whore into her workplace. How dare Edra Cifer flaunt that nasty woman in Nel’s face. That redhead was ugly. She was just downright ugly! Not to mention that the old hag had the audacity to mention that the whore was pregnant.

 

That explained everything.

 

This Orihime had trapped Ulquiorra and schemed for a way to keep him by getting pregnant. Her hazel eyes narrowed and she carefully blotted the area under her eyes as to not ruin her makeup. She already ruined her mascara by sobbing over that green-eyed bastard.

 

She took her phone out of her pocket and tapped a number. After the conversation she had, Nel smiled as she went about the rest of her shift.

 

***

 

Ulquiorra was sitting in a pub with Yammy and Szayel. He’d picked up the pink-haired man earlier that morning to take ring shopping and while Szayel was fashionable, he was an utter twit when it came to trying to pick out the perfect ring for Orihime. His woman needed something that was stylish, yet timeless. She wouldn’t want some big flashy rock or some garishly colorful ring. This was to be a ring she would always wear and never take off except for swimming. He didn’t know. It seemed like his mother never took hers off but then again, his mom had the help of an army of household staff to clean toilets and do dishes.

 

They had met Yammy later at the bar for drinks. The big man was being loud and laughing. Szayel was quiet and kept looking at his phone. Ulquiorra sat there thinking about all the choices he had when it came to jewelry. This was a big decision. He thought about calling Orihime to ask her what she thought but what was the point of buying a ring for her to wear on the day they got married?

 

“Do you think you’re perhaps over thinking this matter, Cifer?” Szayel said. “Didn’t you already propose and surprise her with a ring?”

 

Ulquiorra nodded and shifted his gaze from his drink to his friend. “And?”

 

The man brought a perfectly manicured finger up to his lips. “I think you’re supposed to pick your wedding rings out with her.”

 

“I don’t even know if wedding rings are a thing in Japan,” Ulquiorra replied. He was getting irritated because it was true. He knew nothing about how things were done. Orihime hadn’t said anything and she sure as hell wasn’t making decisions about the plans! He slumped further into the booth and frowned. Maybe they should talk to the wedding planner. Maybe they should have the wedding in Germany at the end of this month.

 

He idly wondered if that would spur the woman into taking some action.

 

“We could have a bachelor party for Ulquiorra.” Yammy’s voice grated over his already fraying nerves. “We could find ourselves in a gentlemen’s club with--”

 

“No, thank you,” he snapped. “I think I need to head back to my parents. All that happened on this adventure was my mood becoming dismal and you two idiots--”

 

“We’re not idiots,” Szayel pouted and adjusted the frames of his glasses. “Yammy may be an idiot, but I am not.”

 

This made Ulquiorra roll his eyes. “Let me know when all of you assholes can hang out. I’ll introduce you to Orihime.”

 

With that Ulquiorra stood and made his way out to his car that was parked on a side street. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn’t hear footsteps behind him. He didn’t even care if he was being followed. It wasn’t until he had almost reached his car that he was shoved and then slammed against the side of the vehicle.

 

Big hands turned him around and he was faced with two angry men. Livid blue and green eyes stared him down. He hadn’t seen these faces in over a year and a half. “Bazz. Grimmjow.” The voice was strangled because Grimmjow had his hand around Ulquiorra’s throat.

 

“This _salud_ ,” Grimmjow spat.

 

“A stupid asshole,” Bazz stated in an angry tone.

 

“You like sending people to Nel’s workplace? You like making her upset?” Grimmjow shook him with every word. His head fell back and forth. “Do you get some sick, perverted pleasure sending your whore to make Nel cry?”

 

Ulquiorra’s head hit the car with a loud thud. He saw bright spots when it happened, vision swimming when he was able to open his eyes and not be in pain. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

 

It was the guy with the red mohawk who answered. “You sent your mother and wife to harass Nelliel.”

 

With one final shake that made sure his head connected with the car again, Grimmjow let Ulquiorra go and he slumped to the pavement.

 

“You keep your bitch away from Nel,” Grimmjow threatened. “Or next time, we’ll use our fists on that pretty boy face of yours.”


	38. An Injury and Apology

 

When Ulquiorra finally made it back to his parent’s house it was evening. He had to take side streets and back roads in order to drive himself home. His vision kept blurring and he felt waves of nausea roll over him. He was surprised he hadn’t wrecked the car. It was probably because he kept having to stop the vehicle.

 

It was understandable that his mother was in the foyer, pacing and wringing her hands. She looked like she was worrying herself sick.

 

“Where have you been? No one knew where you went! You didn’t tell anyone you were leaving! Answer me Ulquiorra!” Edra shouted as she reprimanded him.

 

Her tone automatically quieted down as he wobbled forward. “I went to Munich,” he mumbled. “Right now I just want to get to bed.”

 

Orihime came out of the side parlor at the sound of Edra’s sharp tone. When she saw Ulquiorra she knew something was wrong.  She hopped over to his side and tried to steady him on his feet. “What happened, Ulquiorra? You are not alright,” her voice was firm.  She thought he had to be drugged or had some kind of physical trauma. He didn’t act like this when he was drunk.

 

He shrugged the women off. “I’m fine, just got hit in the head,” he answered. He glared at his mother. “What did you do to Nel that would cause her lovers to attack me?”

 

Orihime’s eyes narrowed to slits.  That bitch was responsible for this? “Ulquiorra, I can assure you it was nothing.  Nothing that a normal person would react to as strongly as this, anyway. This is outrageous.  Let me look at your eyes, I’m pretty sure you have a concussion--”

 

He moved his head so she couldn’t touch it. All he wanted to do was lie down. Why couldn’t they understand this? “I said I’m fine,” he growled. “You two obviously--well not you two but my mother obviously said something to upset her and make her two asshole boyfriends attack me. So what is it Ma? What’d you say to her? You know she’s fucking crazy!”

 

Edra’s face was one of guilt and then anger. She tipped her chin up slightly and looked at her son. “I gave Nelliel what she deserved. Orihime and I had a lovely day together. I--”

 

“I don’t care!” Ulquiorra sneered at his mom.

 

It was his father who came into the hall and stared him down. “Ulquiorra, you will cease with this behavior. That is no way to treat people who care about you.”

 

Orihime knew Ulquiorra deserved an explanation, but she didn’t think this was the right time.  “Mr. Cifer, I think we should call an ambulance. He’s suffered a blow to the head; he may need scans--”

 

Mikhail went over to his son and took a penlight out of his pocket. He clicked the thing on and shined it into Ulquiorra’s eyes. The pupils contracted as they should have. Ulquiorra appeared dazed though. Next Mikhail gently prodded his son’s scalp, noting where he flinched, cringed and hissed.

 

The father lifted up his son’s black hair seeing if there was any blood. “There’s a cut but nothing major. You most likely have a concussion, a mild one but still, it’s enough to concern me. What happened?”

 

“I got attacked by Grimmjow and Bazz; you know my former neighbors, Nel’s boyfriends? Grimmjow started shaking me and my head hit the car,” Ulquiorra replied. “I just want something for the headache and the pain. I just want to go to sleep.”

 

Mikhail shook his head. “I think you should get checked out.”

 

“Please, Ulquiorra,” Orihime was indeed pleading.  She knew how he could be stubborn but this was not the time.

 

Edra wrung her hands more. Perhaps she’d made an error in judgment. “Son, please.”

 

“I just got checked out! Hello, do you not remember that your own husband is a physician?” Ulquiorra shouldered past the three of them. He made sure his steps were certain as he began to climb the stairs.

 

Orihime followed along, looking back at Mikhail and mouthing “I’ll watch him,” before turning back to her fiance and following silently.  She didn’t want to upset him further.

 

When he got to his room, he made a beeline for the bathroom. There had to be something to take care of his headache. He was fine. This was nothing compared to the blow he’d taken when Ginjo had hit him. That thought made him stop in his tracks. What if Grimmjow had irritated an old wound? The only thing he could remember from that night was being dizzy and stumbling. He remembered being irrationally angry. He’d slept in that teal armchair in Urahara’s shop. Someone kept waking him up.

 

He turned towards Orihime to say something and just dropped to the floor, crumpling like a piece of paper.

 

“Dr. Cifer!” Orihime screamed, diving toward Ulquiorra.  She carefully checked that he was still breathing, then knelt near his head trying not to panic.  She was absolutely terrified.

 

Mikhail came running as soon as he heard Orihime scream. He was already on the phone with the local hospital. It did not take long for an emergency vehicle to get there. The older male insisted that Orihime ride along with his son and that he’d be shortly behind.

 

After Ulquiorra was revived, the emergency personnel were busy taking his vital signs and asked Orihime to keep him talking in an effort to keep him from falling unconscious again.  Orihime knew of just one topic at the moment that would be sure to hold his interest.

 

“Ulquiorra, I want to tell you what happened today, now that your mother isn’t here.  Are you up for hearing it?”

 

He nodded. “It can’t be any worse than what happened to me today. Go ahead.”

 

Orihime cleared her throat.  “Well, as you warned me, your mother wanted to introduce me to Nel.  We went to the restaurant she worked at for lunch, and your mother asked that we be seated in her section.  She came to take our order, and then your mother introduced me to her.”

 

His green eyes found hers and Ulquiorra wasn’t sure what he saw. In the back of his mind, he knew his mother could be ruthless. She could be cold. She was calculating and shrewd. “What--what was your first impression of her?”

 

Orihime offered an awkward, lopsided smile that didn’t reach her eyes.  “She was beautiful. She was unstable. She looked really, _really_ young.”

 

There it was. Ulquiorra shifted in the bed he was in. Orihime probably thought he was a creep; even more of an  _eroyaji_. He swallowed. “She’s almost as old as I am. We’re four or five months apart.”

 

“That may well be, but it’s a peculiar aesthetic.  Anyway, it appears you don’t have a very strong ‘type’”, she offered with a small laugh, trying to cut the tension that had suddenly appeared.

 

“Ha!” The laugh came out of nowhere. What the hell did she mean by “a peculiar aesthetic”? It wasn’t like he enjoyed the cutesy, innocent look Nel had adopted. “You’re wrong. I have a type. The only one who deviated from that was Loly.”

 

Orihime was intrigued, and a sly smile crept over her features.  “Oh? And what, pray tell, is the common thread amongst us?”

 

“Why so you can be offended again when I compare you to all my past lovers? No thanks, I’m not falling in that trap again,” Ulquiorra said. He shook his head in disbelief. Did she think he was stupid?

 

Orihime rolled her eyes at him.  “Whatever,” she said, irritated. “I was just interested in what I could possibly have in common with that nutcase.  She seemed completely different from me. I could only identify one thing that was similar.”

 

“Cirucci. She was loud and brash. She had a nice set of tits on her and a big ass,” Ulquiorra said and held up a finger. He held up another. “Loly, flatter than a board but had been screwed so many times she could be considered swiss cheese. Also, she was loud and abrasive. Nel… Not so loud. She seemed to be able to control herself. Big tits and a nice ass.”

 

He paused for a moment, before looking at her with a scowl on his face. “You. Someone who made an impression on me. Someone who cared about me for me. The body is just a bonus,” Ulquiorra finished quietly.

 

Orihime laughed.  “Just a bonus?! Thanks for nothing!”  She shook her head and smiled. He was hopeless.

 

“Your mind bewitched me. The way you carried yourself in a letter made me curious. Those other three women have something in common which sets you apart,” he said. Ulquiorra sighed. He wasn’t explaining things correctly. “I love you Orihime. I love your smile. I love your body. I love how you make me feel. The one thing that sets you apart from those bitches is that you’ve never used me for anything. You have never hurt me. You’ve never cheated on me.”

 

Orihime smiled at him and leaned over to kiss his cheek, then sat up again.  “So, do you want to know what really set her off?”

 

He raised an eyebrow, “You mean she didn’t take one look at you and start screaming?”

 

Orihime gave a single huffed laugh.  “No. She seemed rather full of herself.  She looked down at me like I wasn’t worthy of cleaning her toilet. In fact, she didn’t acknowledge my existence until your mother pushed the issue.”

 

“There’s the answer then. Nel didn’t want to believe you existed until someone dangled you in her face,” Ulquiorra said. He couldn’t help but sigh. “I don’t know why my mother pushed the issue.”

 

“She really hates her, that’s why.  She’ll never forgive that witch for hurting her baby.  Your mother is not to be taken lightly,” she paused and looked at Ulquiorra significantly, “I’ve taken it under advisement not to make the same mistakes,” she smirked, again trying to lighten the mood.  “There is something else you should know; I didn’t think it would mean anything at the time but now that it’s coming back to you in the form of her lovers’ ire, I think you ought to know,” she paused for his reaction.

 

Ulquiorra looked at the redhead. “You’ve been around my mother for almost a week and you just realized this? My mother is a fool. How many times have I hurt you in our relationship? How many times have you hurt me? It’s like a thousand to none.” He flopped back and sighed. “What should I know? What caused Nel to demand that her bastards attack me?”

 

“You mother introduced me to her as your _wife._ ”  Orihime paused to let that sink in, then added, “I think you know that it was in my best interest not to refute her assertion.”

 

“My what?” Ulquiorra groaned. His mother had gone too far. No wonder Nel went batshit insane. “You can refuse. You need to put your foot down, Orihime. You can tell people no once in a while.”

 

“Well, if you aren’t happy about that, you’ll really be displeased about the next part…” she trailed off uncomfortably.

 

“I’m not displeased. I mean I plan on making you my wife in a couple of weeks, as soon as we can but I don’t understand why my mother would lie about that,” Ulquiorra said. He looked over at Orihime. “What about the next part? You mean there’s more?”

 

Orihime raised her brows in shock when he mentioned being married in a matter of weeks, but didn’t let herself get distracted.  “Yes. There’s more. Nel was not pleased about me being your wife but she held it together. She only fell apart after your mother implied that we were already expecting a baby.”

 

His mouth dropped open at that. Not only had his mother lied to Nel’s face, but she had also told a lie so huge there was nothing to stop it from blowing up in his face! It had blown up in his face. He’d gotten beat up and it was all over some woman! “We’re not, are we?” He asked once his anger faded away to irritation.

 

“We shouldn’t be,” she said softly.  Despite her indirect answer the way she said it would lead him to believe she meant a firm no.

 

“Not that I would mind but I was kind of hoping to be insanely in love newlyweds for a couple of years that constantly had hot sex and drove their friends crazy because of how over the moon they were with each other,” Ulquiorra said with a small smile. “Is that all that happened today? My mom lied and pissed Nel off?”

 

Orihime nodded, then leaned over and whispered in his ear, “You know I intend to make your hopes come true,” then grazed her teeth on his earlobe and sat back up, screwing her face into a serious expression and adding, “Yes.  Nel dropped her serving tray and spilled _my_ bottle of wine everywhere.  I really needed it after what your mother pulled.”

 

He was laid up and she wanted to tease him? Ulquiorra looked at his fiancee with half-lidded eyes. “Does your language have a word for naughty woman?” he asked.

 

“What are you trying to say, Mr. Cifer?”

 

“That when I’m able to, Future Mrs. Cifer, I’m going to show you how much of a dirty old man I can be because you are a naughty woman.”

 

She laughed through closed teeth as she grinned. “I believe you.”

 

In the end, Ulquiorra had to stay overnight at the hospital. His father wanted him under observation. The elder Cifer took Orihime home with him although they both protested this idea. He flipped through things on his phone that had a brand new crack in the screen from when he dropped it on the sidewalk. Nothing caught his interest. He fell asleep only to be woken up a short while after by an old nurse who was checking his vitals. He was just about asleep again when his phone chimed and started playing his ringtone.

 

It was probably Orihime. Picking up the phone from the table, he pushed the screen without looking at it. “Hey Baby,” Ulquiorra said.

 

“Oh, we’re back on this baby bullshit again?”

  
“Nel?”

 

“The one and only, Ulquiorra.”

 

He sighed. “How are you calling me? Why are you calling me? C’mon Nel. You had your goons attack me and now you’re calling me?”

 

The sigh echoed on the other end of the line. “Ulqui, look, I got upset today. I’m sorry. I acted out of anger. Your mom pissed me off and I had to pay for the bottle I dropped. Do you know how much came out of my pocket? It was almost a hundred Euros.”

 

“What do you want me to do Nel? Pay you back?” the green-eyed man snapped. “Just get over it. It’s been over for almost eighteen months. Besides, don’t you have a family you should be worried about instead of hounding me?”

 

“Family? What are you talking about?”

 

There was no stopping the scorn that laced his voice. “Don’t you have a child? Weren’t you getting married to Grimmjow?”

 

“Oh, that.”

 

“Yes, oh that? What happened? I figured you sent me old photos when you tried to bait Orihime with all those lies,” Ulquiorra retorted. He couldn’t believe this woman.

 

The sigh that came through was heavier this time. “I was never pregnant. I don’t want to marry Grimmjow. I just said it to try and get you to come back.”

 

He pinched the bridge of his nose as if that would hold off the impending migraine that was threatening his nerves. “That’s not the way to go about it, Nel. You made your choice. I made mine.”

 

“Are you really married to her?” Nel’s voice sounded like a lost child who was just told his dog died. It almost made him feel sorry for her. _Almost._

 

Ulquiorra could answer this question two ways. He could tell Nel the truth, possibly giving the teal-haired woman some hope that she could come between Orihime and him. He could lie and say that yes, Orihime was his wife and he was happy with her. He bit his lip as he weighed both options. “Yes, Nel. I married her in Japan,” he finally whispered.

 

“Oh.” He could hear how her voice cracked at the end of that word. “Okay."

 

“You don’t sound okay.”

 

“No really. I am okay. I just--I wanted to tell you that I apologize. I’m sorry for having Grimmjow and Bazz attack you. I hope you’re okay,” the teal-haired woman sniffled. “I’m sorry about before. I didn’t realize what you had was serious. I thought it was just a rebound.”

 

Was Nel saying what he thought she was implying? It seemed like a betrayal to talk to her like this, late at night. He should have hung up on her. “Nel?”

 

“Ulqui?”

 

That damn annoying nickname. He hated it along with her innocent persona. It annoyed him. He had to take a deep breath before exhaling his irritation out. “Are you calling a truce?” Ulquiorra asked.

 

“Mmhmm, I know you don’t like to face difficulties. I know I said a lot of bad things to your wife and I’m sorry. I apologize for that too,” Nel said to him. “If possible I’d like to make it up to you and her. Maybe I could treat Orihime to a girls’ day out, a spa day, or--Oh, did she get a bachelorette party?”

 

He shook his head. Nel was the same as ever. “You’re going to have to apologize to Orihime personally. I’m not going to pass along your message.”

 

“Could we meet?”

 

Meet? That sounded like a _brilliant_ idea. Ulquiorra would much rather be eaten alive by rabid meerkats than look at Nel again. “I don’t think that’s a good idea--”

 

“Then how am I supposed to apologize?”

 

She had him there. So Ulquiorra said he’d talk to Orihime about it and he would call Nel back sometime in the next week with his answer. The next morning when his father and his fiancee showed up, Ulquiorra didn’t say anything. After giving him a once over, Mikhail said Ulquiorra was fine. It had been a major bump on the head and no lasting damage,

 

Orihime was profoundly relieved and didn’t bother to try to be discreet about giving Ulquiorra a hug and a kiss on the lips in front of his father.  “Did you sleep okay last night? I didn’t get much rest; I was too worried about you.”

 

Ulquiorra saw his father leave the room. It was probably to give them some privacy. He was sitting on the side of the bed, looking at her. “I didn’t sleep much. How could when I had Boris the nurse in here every two hours waking me up? ”

 

She chuckled and brushed a lock of hair out his eyes.  “I missed you. This is the first night we’ve spent apart since… Since I moved out of Ichigo and Chad’s place. I don’t want to do it again anytime soon.”

 

He winced at the memories her words supplied. Ulquiorra knew that she was trying to avoid saying when they were broken up but that time was still planted in his brain. It was still fresh in his mind. That’s why he hated letting her go last night. “I don’t plan on getting my head thumped against anything in the near future,” he said.

 

She hummed in agreement.  “Well, if you do get into anymore street fights, try to avoid blows to the head, okay?”  She looked at him and smiled shyly, “although I have to say you looked pretty hot when you had that black eye.  Such a bad boy,” she giggled and looked down, blushing at the admission.

 

Grinning, Ulquiorra shook his head at his woman. “Should I go out and find someone to punch me in the eye again? I mean I could but you told me I wouldn’t get anywhere being busted up like I was.”

 

She laughed.  “You have a good memory.  And no, please no more fights.  I need you looking pretty for the wedding,” she said.

 

“Oh,” he said. “You want me pretty for the wedding. Not dashing, handsome or hot; just pretty.” He tilted Orihime’s face up and kissed her. “You’re going to be the most gorgeous bride ever.”

 

She gave him a goofy grin and dreamy eyes.  “You know, Ulquiorra, flattery will get you _everywhere_.”

 

***

 

It was several days later when he finally brought it up. It was the middle of the afternoon and they were at that abandoned farm that his parents bought to develop but never did anything with. He’d brought a blanket to spread on the ground under a tree because he didn’t want Orihime getting a sunburn.

 

“Hime?” he said looking at the curves of her body, trailing his fingers over her hip. Ulquiorra was just trying out the nickname but it felt strange on his tongue.

 

She smiled at him.  “Hmmm?” she responded lazily.

 

“I know this might seem strange but,” Ulquiorra paused for a moment. He was nervous about what her reaction might be. “Nel wants to apologize to you… In person. I told her that I would ask but no guarantees.”

 

It took a minute for his words to sink in, together with the implication that he had spoken with his ex behind her back.  It took just as long for the smile to melt off of her face. She closed her eyes and shook her head. She didn’t have the words to express how displeased she was.

 

“I know. I can see it. I fucked up. She called and I thought it was you. I wasn’t thinking when I answered. It was the night I was in the hospital,” Ulquiorra said. He bit his lip and rolled over onto his stomach. “She was offering a truce. I told her I’d think about it. If you’re against it, I’ll tell Szayel to pass along the message of thanks but no fucking thanks.”

 

Orihime sighed.  She wanted to be the bigger person.  She still felt the shame of disappointing Ulquiorra for going along with Edra’s plan to rub her in Nel’s face.  She wondered if this might have bigger effects than she knew about. “Is Nel a mutual friend of your other friends?” she finally asked.

 

He had to think about this question for a moment. Over the course of their friendship, Nel had wormed her way into his friends’ lives and it went deeper as they moved on to an actual relationship. Ulquiorra nodded. “Szayel thinks she’s hot for a woman. Yammy finds her irritating. Zommari is indifferent to everyone so he doesn’t have an opinion. The only one that does not like her is Nnoitra but he hates everyone. She kind of invaded their lives like she invaded mine.”

 

Orihime found his answer confusing.  It sounded to her like she wasn’t actually friends with his friends.  Her eyebrows knit together as she tried her best to find a justification to grant Ulquiorra’s request.  She was coming up empty.

  
“No.  I’m sorry, Ulquiorra.  No.”

 

“Don’t apologize to me,” he replied, looking over at her. “Do you think I want to see Nel? I don’t want to look at her or listen to her lies. Do you remember the fight we had when we moved into that other apartment in Yonezawa?”

 

She nodded, her lips a firm line.  She was fighting a strong impulse to react emotionally at the moment.

 

“I told you that Nel was pregnant, do you remember?”

 

“Yes,” she answered, irritated.

 

Ulquiorra looked at the redhead. She didn’t look very happy. This time in Germany was supposed to be carefree and no drama. He sighed. “You’re not going to be very happy about this,” he lamented. “But… Nel… She lied to me.”

 

She leveled an unimpressed look at him.  “You’re right. I’m not happy. Neither am I surprised.  That bitch is unscrupulous. I can’t believe you would entertain the idea of a meeting between us.  It’s a terrible idea that can only end badly,” she said, rolling onto her back and covering her eyes with her forearm to block out the sun and the pathetic look on Ulquiorra’s face.  She released a long, hissing sigh, then finished with, “I don’t know what you expected.”

 

“This might sound strange but I expected you to say no. I was counting on you to say no. I never entertained the idea. I told her I would ask. I asked and you said no. As my woman, partner and future spouse, I have to respect your decision,” Ulquiorra replied. He turned his head to look at the scenery around him. “O, I’m not like my mom. I’m not going to force you to do this. I want to introduce you to my friends but even then I’m not sure you’d like them. I’m sure you’re tired of meeting aunt after aunt, cousin after cousin at those parties my mom has thrown.”

 

Orihime took her arm away from her face and looked at him.  He really was beautiful. Too bad he lacked street sense. She sighed, the frigidness in her aura melting.  “Ulquiorra, I will never understand how someone as wonderful as you has such awful friends,” she said, laughing.  “Not that I know firsthand, but if your accounts are accurate, then they are. You deserve so much better.”

 

He looked back at her with a stern look. “Like your friends are any better? Chad, Kurosaki, and Ishida want to dick you down. None of my friends want to have sex with me.”

 

“Ha!” she laughed.  “That you know of!” Then she raised a brow at him and rolled onto her front.  ”Besides, it’s not their faults. I have an ass that won’t quit,” she joked, giving it a shake.

 

Ulquiorra took the bait and looked back at the way she shimmied her hips. They had finished having sex and instead of cuddling her afterward, he decided to initiate a conversation. He was a dumbass. Turning onto his side, he reached a pale hand out and grabbed one of her asscheeks. “My ass,” he growled in a playful manner. He then grew serious. “I know I’ve got shitty friends but they’re all I had when I decided to embark in the great big adult world. I’d like for you to meet them, Orihime.”

 

She regarded him kindly.  “Well, I hope you are just being all “U. C.” about them.”

 

He laughed and shifted on the blanket so he was closer to her. “I don’t think you’re far off on that description.”

 

“Well, if you’re being overly harsh, critical, and willfully misinterpreting their intentions, then I’d say I’m right on the money,” she said as she giggled.  

 

“I was merely being truthful when describing them.”

 

She sighed and put her hands on his chest.  “In that case, you are too good for them, although I think I may be biased,” she looked him in the eye for a moment.  “I think the world of you, you know.”


	39. Nefarious Plans

Szayel was nervous but he knew how to be discreet. He knew how to be sneaky. He’d been working for in the Cifer’s research facility for almost two years. Not once had anyone caught him taking the experimental medications. It was just a dose here, a dose there. He didn’t like getting the drugs for other people.

  
  
Nel asked. She made a promise to him. The pink-haired man said that he would do it. He didn’t feel much like a friend as he slipped one of the tranquilizers into his pocket. It was a quick dissolving, sublingual tablet. It could knock a three-hundred pound man on his ass. He couldn’t imagine what it would do to someone like Ulquiorra’s wife… girlfriend… fiancee… Szayel didn’t know what the woman was to him, not that he cared.

 

He’d met Nel outside of the restaurant where she worked and gave her the pill. She smiled at him. “Tomorrow night, be at my place,” she said in a sweet and charming tone. Then she smirked at him before walking towards Grimmjow’s car.

 

If Ulquiorra ever found out what he had done, the green-eyed man would probably kill him.

 

***

 

He set something up with Szayel to gather his friends so that he could introduce them to Orihime. The redhead had reluctantly agreed to meeting them. All it took was for Ulquiorra to remind her that he welcomed her friends into their apartment when they lived in Yonezawa. He had to deal with those morons in Karakura. He had completely trusted her when she lived with Chad and Kurosaki.

  
  
That last statement had been a low blow. He didn’t mean it but it had come out anyway. She wasn’t happy about it,but since his friends were seemingly important, Orihime agreed to appease him. Ulquiorra had grinned at her. He told her to ignore Nnoitra. He told her to not bother Yammy. He explained how Zommari thought he was this laid back person but really it was an excuse to cover up some high functioning OCD tendencies. He gave her some insight on Szayel and his weird ways, stating that the man came off as uber creepy.

 

She seemed okay with all of it as they drove northwest into the city. It didn’t take him long, speeding down the expressways and streets to a somewhat mediocre part of a suburb of Munich. Once he parked in front of a shabby apartment building he smiled at Orihime. “This isn’t much but I used to live here with them,” he said gesturing to the plain cinderblock building.

 

“Reminds me a bit of the building we lived in before we met in Yonezawa, actually,” she said to him with a little smirk. “How big are the units?  That’s a lot of guys to live together in one apartment.”

 

Back in their early days, they had stuffed five guys into a two bedroom apartment. Ulquiorra wasn’t sure what the living arrangements were now. “We were basically living on top of each other when we first met. Someone was always falling over Nnoi’s legs. Someone was bitching about Szayel’s experiments. Zommari was always trying to psychoanalyze people. Yammy snored, loudly.”

 

“Wow, I can’t believe you put up with that!  You must have been eager to prove yourself independent,” she paused to smile.  She respected that about him, that despite his family’s wealth and generosity, he hadn’t relied on it to make his own way in the world.  They approached the door and Orihime looked down at herself one last time. “Are you sure I look alright? I don’t want to make a bad first impression.”

 

“You look fine, Orihime. I know I wanted to have my way with you before we came up here. You look good. If anything, I’d say you’re trying to impress someone besides me, Woman,” Ulquiorra said before moving to stand beside her. He looked down at her bare legs with the strappy sandals she wore. It was a dress he’d bought for her before they left Japan. At least he thought it was one he bought. It might have been one of those dresses that had been hanging in the back of her closet. “You’re gorgeous.”

 

She smiled, a bit embarrassed, then took his hand and squeezed.  “Shall we?”

 

Ulquiorra brought out his phone and tapped on the screen to find the exact address. It was funny because they parked right in front of the building. He pulled her up the three steps and knocked on the door. It was a tall black man who answered the door. He had white spikes of hair sticking out of his head and three black spikes sticking out of his bottom lip.

  
  
“Zommari,” Ulquiorra said.

 

“Cifer, Szayel mentioned you were dropping by. Who’s that?” the other man asked in a deep voice.

 

“This is my fiancee, Orihime Inoue. Orihime, this is Zommari.”

 

Orihime bowed a bit.  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Zommari.”  This man frightened her. There was an intensity to his gaze that made her feel like she was being analyzed; as if he was considering what size storage containers would be required to put her body parts into after he murdered her. She tried not to show how he scared her but her success was questionable.

 

He looked down at her with dark eyes. “It’s just Zommari,” he intoned. “Come in.”

  
  
Ulquiorra pushed past his friend and brought Orihime along with him. He found himself standing in a living room. “You guys moved units, right? This doesn’t look like the same place. It’s been a while since I visited.”

 

Zommari nodded. “A two bedroom was too small for all of us. We now have four bedrooms. I will let Szayel and the others know you’re here.”

 

The man walked off leaving Ulquiorra and Orihime standing in the room. The dark-haired man sat down on the couch and patted his lap with a grin on his face directed at his lover.

 

She raised a dubious eyebrow at him.  Was he suggesting what she thought he was suggesting?  Would his friends be bothered by it? She walked over to him slowly and stood in front of him, waiting for further indication.

 

“Sit down,” he said in a seductive tone. “On my lap.”

 

“Why?  Um, don’t you think your friends will feel uncomfortable?”

 

Ulquiorra could hear someone tromping down a flight of stairs. He shook his head. “Orihime, once you meet them, you'll know that they won’t give a shit. We could practically fuck in front of them and they wouldn’t care.”

 

It was like he was a different person that she barely recognized.  Was this who he was before all his problems with women? The thought amused her.  “If you say so,” she said, settling on his knee.

 

The first one to poke his head into the room was Yammy. “ULQUIORRA!” It was loud, almost too loud. The big man practically shouted his name. It was followed by, “Who is this?”

 

“I’m not introducing her until everyone gets here, Yammy.”

 

“Hmph. What brought you--”

  
  
“Is that fuckface Cifer I hear?” A twig like man entered the room and glared at Ulquiorra and the woman perched on his lap. “Look at you, all domesticated.”

 

Orihime almost laughed.  It was the same “term of endearment” Ulquiorra and Ichigo often used for one another.  It was not funny though. This man was nothing like Ichigo. He looked even more frightening that the first man she met at the door.  Without thinking, she leaned back into Ulquiorra a bit.

 

Zommari reappeared but behind him trailed a slim, almost girlish-looking male. He had pink hair and chunky white framed glasses. “Ulq,” Szayel said. He smiled at the redhead and stuck his hand out. “You must be the lovely fiancee that we’ve heard so much about.”

 

Orihime offered her hand and a lopsided smile.  There was something off about this man too. She didn’t want to appear rude though, and after her initial hesitation, she put on her most charming greeting smile and chirped, “It’s so nice to finally meet you!”

 

Ulquiorra knew how Szayel operated and he gave the pink-haired male a glare. “It’s Ulquiorra,” he stated. “Okay, Yammy, Nnoitra, Zommari, and Szayel, this is my future wife, Orihime Inoue. Orihime, Yammy, Nnoitra and Szayel.”

 

He pointed at each man as he spoke their name.

 

Orihime's eyes followed Ulquiorra’s hand as he pointed to each man and when he was finished she bowed at the waist, still sitting on his lap, and said, “Y _oroshiku onegaishimasu!_  Nice to meet you all.”

 

It was a bit cutesy.  She was nervous. She cringed inwardly at herself but didn’t let it show.  Part of her was sure she had blown her first impression, but the larger part of her didn’t think it was that important.  These men didn’t seem like they cared much for her anyway.

 

“Charming,” Szayel cooed. He turned around and waved to the couple. Come into the kitchen, I’ll make you some drinks.

  
  
“None of those fruity things,” Yammy said while Zommari just raised an eyebrow and Nnoitra scoffed.

 

Ulquiorra knew he didn’t drink. “I think we’re good,” he said. “We came here to visit with all of you, not get drunk.”

  
  
“You’re no fun,” the pink-haired man said before he disappeared into a different room.

  
  
“Get me some whisky,” Nnoitra called after him. The tall man stalked over to one of the armchairs and flopped down onto it. “So what brought you back here you worthless piece of shit?”

 

His green eyes slid over to Nnoitra. Ulquiorra had never liked the guy all that much but it seemed wherever Szayel was, Nnoitra wasn’t far behind. “I came to introduce Orihime to my family and _my friends_.” Hopefully, it was clear that Ulquiorra did not include the human version of a praying mantis in that description.

 

“Does she even speak German? Is she some mail-order bride?” Nnoitra asked. “Let me guess you’re paying her to put up this farce because of Nel, aren’t you? I can probably pay you more, lady.”

  
  
“Will you shut the hell up?” Ulquiorra snapped. He was tempted to tell Orihime to get off of him so he could pummel the shit out of the taller man. “Just because no woman would ever date you doesn’t give you the right to insult her. She will become my wife in a few weeks.”

 

Orihime turned to look at Ulquiorra.  A few weeks? That was news to her. It didn’t matter at the moment though, she was almost certain Ulquiorra was going to push her off his lap and pounce at the tall waif of a man across the room.  She had to do something. “No, I don’t speak much German, but I can assure you I was not delivered by mail, and I can also assure you that you couldn’t afford me,” she said with a laugh, hoping against hope to cut the tension, but also thinking back to the exact amount her life was worth.  This man reminded her a lot of Ginjo, and she shuddered a bit, only enough to be perceptible to herself and Ulquiorra.

 

"Diese Schlampe hat einen schlauen Mund," Nnoitra spat. He glared at both of them then folded his arms over his narrow chest.

 

"Sie ist keine Schlampe!" Ulquiorra motioned for Orihime to sit beside him. When she shifted to the space next to him the green-eyed man stood. “You will refrain from speaking about her that way!”

 

Just as Nnoitra was about to give a rather rude response there was a knock at the door. Every head turned towards the barrier.

 

“Yo Szay! You expecting anyone else?” Nnoitra yelled.

 

Szayel came back into the living room carrying a tray of drinks which he set down onto the coffee table. “No, but I’ll answer the door.”

  
  
Something felt off to Ulquiorra and he glared at Szayel. That response had been too nervous sounding. His hands trembled as he set the tray down. He had always known the pink-haired man to be a smooth individual. He was confident in any situation. Something was up.

 

That something walked through the door two seconds later. Teal hair came into Ulquiorra’s vision followed by a head of shocking blue hair then a fire-red mohawk.

 

Shit.

 

 _Nel. Grimmjow. Bazz_.

 

The last time Ulquiorra had seen the woman, she was asleep in the bed _they_ had shared. She looked no different. Still had the same color hair. She still had those big hazel eyes with the same impish expression in them. He gave her a once over and then turned away, looking back at Orihime. He didn’t know why Nel was there. He had no clue why she would be there at Szayel’s house.

 

“What the fuck?”  the words fell from Orihime’s lips unbidden in a soft utterance.

 

Ulquiorra shook his head. “I didn’t tell them to come, Orihime. I didn’t--”

  
  
“Of course you didn’t, Ulqui. We were driving past and I saw your car,” Nel said interrupting him. She had a brilliant smile on her face. “I thought we’d stop and say hello.”

 

Orihime looked at Ulquiorra with an unspoken warning in her eyes.  She had had enough already. His friends were clearly allied against her.  She didn’t know if they were upset that Ulquiorra had left Germany and blamed her for it, or if it was just that they were assholes.  She didn't care. She just wanted to leave.

 

He saw the look in her eyes. Orihime was unhappy. He sighed and held his hand out to her. Once she grabbed it, Ulquiorra turned around to see Nel was standing right in front of him. “You’ve said hello and now we have to say goodbye,” he stated in a cold voice.

 

Grimmjow gave a snort. “Told you this was a waste of time. The chicken shit doesn’t even have the balls to face you. She came here to make amends with you.”

 

He glared at the blue-haired man and then everyone who was spread out in the room. Ulquiorra didn’t miss how Szayel was slinking away. He had a suspicion that the asshole had something to do with this. “It’s not me she has to say sorry to. Orihime doesn’t want her worthless apology.”

 

Orihime snaked her hand up Ulquiorra’s arm until she was clutching his bicep, then brought her other arm to his forearm.  She looked Nel straight in the eye and made no expression. She was staking her claim.

 

“It is what it is then,” Nel said with a shrug. “I was hoping that we could put it behind us and at least be civil to each other. I can understand though. Everyone needs time to get their childish behaviors out.”

 

Orihime scoffed.  “ _Kodomoppoi desuyo ne?  Kodomokusai baba.”_ she mumbled.  

 

“Not all of us speak whatever she just said,” Nnoitra drawled. “I mean if you’re gonna throw shade, say it so we all can understand it.”

 

Ulquiorra sighed. There was no way to get out of this place because Nel and her boy toys were blocking the door. “Would you shut up Nnoitra?”

 

Orihime was pissed.  “Don’t worry about it, Love.  I can’t understand his English anyway,” she said clear as a bell and sweet as an angel.

 

Nel smiled. “If she won’t accept my apology then I at least deserve to know why you left me in the middle of the night. Why did you leave me to go to Japan? I deserve that much, Ulqui.”

 

“No,” Ulquiorra said. He looked at Orihime then back at his ex. “I’m not doing this in front of my friends.”

  
  
“Hey asshole, we’re not your friends.” This statement came from that big mouthed stick.

  
  
“Shut up, Gilga!” Yammy’s voice was still too damn loud. The giant of a man looked over at Nel and her entourage. “You and your things need to leave, Bitch.”

 

Nel scoffed. “I was invited by Szayel to drop by at any time I would like. So kiss my ass, Llargo. I’m waiting, Ulquiorra.”

  
  
She said his name in an obscene way, rolling the R’s. She used to do it when she wanted him. Nel knew how to get under his skin and it bothered him. Ulquiorra scowled at her. “You’ll be waiting until you are dead then,” he replied. “C’mon Orihime.”

  
  
Orihime smiled at him sweetly and nodded, giving his arm a squeeze.  Just enough to press it into her breasts. _Just enough_ to make it look somewhat obscene.  Two could play at that game.

 

Ulquiorra started walking, daring anyone to get in his way. No one said anything as he opened the door and then slammed it shut after he and Orihime left the townhouse. He was angry. He was livid. Why would one of his most trusted friends invite _Nel_ of all people into his home? Once the couple was inside the white sedan, Ulquiorra turned to Orihime. “I’m sorry, Woman. I did not know she was going to show up.”

 

She sighed softly and put a hand on his thigh.  “I know. I could tell. It smelled like an ambush as soon as we got in there.  I’m sorry, Babe. I wonder what’s gotten into them. I mean, I don’t know them, but I could tell that at least that Yammy guy genuinely cares for you.  I wonder if they’re all just upset because I’m keeping you in Japan.” She patted his thigh reassuringly. She hated to think that he would be left behind by his friends so easily, especially in favor of _Nel._

 

“You’re not keeping me in Japan. At any time I could have left but I didn’t want to. As you’ve just found out, it seems like the only thing I have here is my parents and one person who is not related to me that has my best interest in mind,” Ulquiorra said as he started the car. He pulled out into the street not a moment later. “I’ve never liked Nnoitra. Szayel was an okay guy before I left. Zommari, he doesn’t really care about anything. They’re assholes. You’re absolutely right that I deserve better people in my life.”

 

Orihime’s lips formed a hard line.  He was right. He did deserve better; leagues better.  But she knew from experience that that fact wouldn’t make their betrayal any less hurtful.  She seethed. How could those idiots do this to Ulquiorra? Her eyes narrowed. It had to have something to do with that teal-haired bitch.  Orihime wondered what she had that she could lord over the occupants of Ulquiorra’s former residence.

 

***

 

Szayel didn't like the look on Nel's face. She was clearly irritated. All that stood between her and him was the island that sat in the middle of the kitchen.

 

"I let you fuck me, and let me tell you Szayel, you really need to practice on how to please a woman." Nel's eyes held no warmth or mirth in them. "You told me that you could get her to drink something with that medicine in it. Instead, Ulquiorra and that bitch left."

 

“I tried. You showed up too early.”

  
  
“How am I supposed to enact my plan now?”

  
  
The answer came from the man with a mohawk. “You could corner her; kidnap her; kidnap the green-eyed shit; blackmail Cifer into delivering her?”

  
“Bazz, that will never work.”

  
  
“I might have an idea,” Szayel said, as he brought a finger up to his lips as if he were thinking. “How well do you trust Loly?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Language time!
> 
> Diese Schlampe hat einen schlauen Mund: This bitch has a smart mouth  
> Sie ist keine Schlampe!: She's no bitch!  
> Kodomoppoi desuyo ne?  Kodomokusai baba!: She's so childish, isn't she? She's a childish old hag!

**Author's Note:**

> EspadaIV can be reached at [HERE ON TUMBLR](http://espada-iv.tumblr.com/)  
> JKRobertson can be reached at [HERE ON TUMBLR](https://jkrobertson.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Want to listen to the songs featured in this fic?](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKF6O5exyS-HEoQbzJZFuYBhlaUHnrL7W)  
> Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave comments and kudos!
> 
>  
> 
> [ULQUIHIME DISCORD](https://discord.gg/JbdPDcb)  
> 


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